It's Been A While
by punkdlaurenx
Summary: AU. The aftermath of the biggest crime Punk could ever commit is in tact. His life before was love and happiness but now he has to face the world from his deepest, darkest thoughts and try to overcome his life locked away that will never be forgotten about, especially by his wife. Sequel to 'Long Time, No See.'
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, first of all I want to say that I know there are stories similar to this out there, but I will try my best to make this story different from the rest. I hope you guys can be just as supportive as you were on the first story, you guys are all awesome. So I hope you enjoy this.**

Nothing gave her chills than remembering that night. Heading into the police station, being sat down and told every little detail of what had went on in her own home, the consequences of his actions, not even being able to see him never mind speak to him. To tell him that she loved him regardless, that she always would. They told her… 'he's too dangerous.' But they couldn't tell her about her own husband. They didn't know him like that, not the way she knew him. It was that night where she found out that begging didn't apply to cops, even when she screamed and cried. How could they tell her to go home and get some sleep when her home was closed off with bright yellow tape around it for the world to see, how could she go home and tell Colt what he had done.

Finally seeing him after everything had calmed down, it was like she hadn't seen him in years. He sat across from her, twisting his wedding band around his finger and not staring directly at her. All he muttered to her was…

"_I had to do it." Punk said, looking across at April, guilt in his eyes, "I had no choice."_

She understood him, she didn't look to him to blame, she looked at herself, if she hadn't ever brought up his brother to him before, all the way back to when she was pregnant with Scarlett, he wouldn't have been so worked up about him for the years that went by. He didn't deserve this. Punished for protecting his own family, for standing up for his own wife, his kids. He didn't deserve punished.

But the punishment wasn't being in prison, the punishment wasn't wearing the same clothes nearly every day or sharing a cell with some stranger, lying on a rock hard bed, freezing cold, it was the punishment of being locked away from the people he loved who was told he was too dangerous to visit, that he wasn't all connected in his brain just yet. That was his punishment.

It had been a long five years. Each day dragged, each Christmas, each birthday, his included, the days went on and on, she found herself being less stable as each day passed. The one thing she feared, the one thing she was always scared of, was being alone. Her children having no father anymore, not that they even remembered who or what a father was, especially Kaia. All they knew was their mother and their uncle. Nothing else about dad clicked in their minds. And that, was his punishment.

"What age she now?" His cell mate walked in through the steal door, looking at the heavily tattoo'd man, doing what he done every year on this particular date, tally marking the back of a picture of Scarlett.

"7." Punk croaked. He done it with all of his pictures that Colt had handed into him in a letter, unfortunately not being able to give face to face, but wanting him to still get them. The back of Kaia's picture had 5 tally marks, the back of April's had 32 and the back of their wedding picture had 6.

"Second grade?" His cell mate, Ben asked.

"Yeah." Punk nodded.

"Remind me why you still haven't been allowed out to visit yet?" Ben asked, lying up on the bed across from Punk.

"Wish I knew the answer to that." Punk said, collecting all his pictures up together, sitting them on the stoned wall above his bed.

He was glad he was landed with a nice guy for a cell mate, just like Punk, Ben was in for similar reasons, but yet Punk was treated differently from him.

He had just spent the past five years wondering. Wondering what his daughters actually looked like now, he didn't know, he hadn't seen them and he hadn't seen April either for her to show him pictures of them. He sometimes wondered if they were even in Chicago anymore. Had April found comfort in another man, he prayed to god she hadn't. He just wanted to know they were all ok, that was all he wanted, but even he knew, if he was allowed visitors now, things would just be awkward, he'd want to hug her and kiss her, talk to her for hours and he couldn't do that.

"Hope she had a good birthday man." Ben smiled over to Punk.

"Me too." Punk muttered under his breath.

_With April…_

To this day, she still didn't know what had went on that day, she knew it was clear to see, Punk killed his brother, out of years of frustration, years of pain, but she didn't actually know what happened, she never thought she would. She went to the prison once a week, just to see if there was a small chance of seeing him, but she got turned down every single time. She wondered why she even bothered anymore.

Even though she was mad at him in the beginning for only beating up Mike, people must have thought she was insane to stick by Punk after killing him. She knew him, she knew him better than anyone and she knew he wouldn't have killed him out of pleasure or because he just felt like it, but because his family had been called into the situation, for what Mike done to her that still gave her nightmares, he done it because his love for his family was too strong and he couldn't bear to know that his brother was still out walking in the streets free after attacking him and his family.

The aftermath of everything was horrible, after court, having to say that one final goodbye, not even allowed to have one night together, one last night, all she had was a few minutes in a room to express her love for him and it wasn't enough, she still had nightmares of the way they just came in and pulled him by the clothes, slamming the door away from his image, knowing that was the last image she was going to see for the next 6 years until he was let out.

People walked by on the street, shouting things to her, telling her he got off easy, and she wondered how could they possibly think 6 years away from his family, his children, his friends, how was that being let off easy, she understood he could have been given a lot more years, but six was dreadful and almost too hard to understand.

WWE had erased him from everything, absolutely everything. They even banned people from wearing his past t-shirts to shows. His legacy died, the respect he had amongst everyone in WWE and outside in the universe was lost.

She sent things to him, letters, new pictures, telling him about everything that was going on, but she doubted that he ever got them, the only thing he had ever got was the first letter from Colt which had some pictures and a loving message from him, everything else went straight from April to the cops trash can.

She was told that if Punk didn't have a restraining order against Mike, Punk would have got sentenced to 12 years in prison, but because Mike was seen as a criminal in his own defence, Punk got let off 'easily.'

She missed him so much, the little things were what got her the most. When she lies on the couch these days, she just waits for him to come over and sit down, shuffle head on his lap and feel him stroke his hand through her hair, or how he'd spell out her name with the syrup when he made her pancakes in the morning, or going to the ice cream shop with the girls and accidentally ordering an extra mint choc chip to take him and realising the only person receiving it would be the freezer.

It was hard, life without him. It gave her a glimpse of how cruel the world was without having someone that loves you by your side. She missed holding his hand, stealing a kiss from him whilst he made dinner, watching him play with the girls until her eyes got sore. In a way, she was also being punished as well as him, the only difference was, she still had her baby girls, she had got to watch them grow, one of the most precious things in life, but she had to do it alone and that was what hurt the most.

"Mom!" Scarlett screamed as she ran into the house, her sister trailing behind rolling her eyes, Colt closing the door behind them after picking Scarlett up from school and Kaia from kindergarten.

"There's my birthday girl." April smiled in the kitchen as she went and hugged Scarlett, crouching down a little to her height, "Did you have a good day?" She asked.

"Yeah." Scarlett nodded, "Can I go open my presents now?" She said with a hopeful smile.

"Yeah, on you go." April nodded, watching Scarlett run into the living room.

Kaia just looked up at her mother, "I'm hungry." She frowned.

"Kaia, you're always hungry." April tutted with a laugh.

It was sometimes a little hard to be around Kaia for April, she was just like Punk, The way she spoke, her attitude, the way she liked to dress without caring, but yet it made her smile to be reminded by Punk every day when she looked at her. It was sometimes nice.

"Go help your sister open her presents, there might be something for you there too." April nodded to her watching her face light up and run away from the kitchen, into the living room.

Colt was the same, he didn't really know what happened with Mike and Punk that night, how the police found out so quickly? Why Punk was so stupid to kill him? All he could remember was getting a screeching phone call from April in hysterics, barely being able to make out what she was saying.

"You alright?" Colt asked her, coming into the kitchen.

"Yeah." April nodded, "Why wouldn't I be?" She asked him.

"I don't know… You normally get a bit worked up around their birthdays." Colt said.

"Well I think that's normal. You know, kids are meant to see their father on their birthday." April snapped at him.

"I know." Colt nodded in understandment, "Have you been round to the prison this week?" He asked.

"No. What's the point? They turn me down every single week. It's obvious I'm not going to see him until he walks out they gates." April said, trying to focus on making dinner.

"You got another year until that happens." Colt said.

"I know. Thank you Colt." April nodded, "It's nice to be reminded how many years I have left until I see my husband by you every single day." April said, throwing the dish towel down and walking out of the kitchen.

Colt just leaned against the counter and sighed, running his hands over his face. He was nearly at the point of breaking down too, just as much as April was. He didn't think he could go another year now without Punk. He'd already done five, wasn't that enough?

_Later that night…_

"Did you have a good birthday?" April asked, Scarlett on one side of her, lying against her on the couch, Kaia on the other side lying against her too, both of them in their pyjamas as they watched the TV.

"Yeah." Scarlett nodded with a content smile, having had a great day with her family, which were only her mother, sister and Colt. That's all she knew to her family. Long after her third birthday, she stopped asking where daddy was and just got on with her life, just so easily, like her brain only thought Punk was just some sort of a person she had for her first two years on earth and then all you need is your mother. It broke April's heart to see her slowly forget him and not really remember him, who remembers things or people from when they were two? She certainly didn't.

"I love you." April said, kissing Scarlett's head, "And I love you." She said, kissing Kaia's head, watching them keep their eyes on the TV.

"And I love you." April muttered under breath, looking down at her wedding band.

"Mom." Kaia laughed, "You already said that." She chuckled, having heard her mother say the third I love you and wondering who it was to. Scarlett joined in with Kaia in chuckling adorably and April just smiled.

"Silly me." She said, hearing them giggle quietly, both of them snuggled into her. She was all they had, she was all they knew and she wouldn't let them down, not one step of the way would she let Scarlett or Kaia down, they were the only thing keeping her going to next year, to see Punk.

**Bit of a undetailed start, I know. We still don't know what went on that night. Punk seems to be having a hard time as well as April. Will he get out before another year? How will things go when he does get out? All coming soon. REVIEW, FOLLOW, FAVE. Thank you for reading!**

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2

Prison wasn't what he expected, he thought he would get locked in a tiny room by himself and get shoved food from under the door, but they actually got out quite a lot, weather it was to sit outside in the area they had, although the huge barb wired fences freaked him out a little, or weather it was in the library that the prison had, there was a varied amount of things to do, but he could never really enjoy doing anything in there, he just missed his family so much.

Looking back at that night, he 100 percent regretted it, the pain on April's face when he got torn away from him, not even being allowed to see his children for one last time. That day would forever be stuck in his mind as one of the tragic days he had ever lived. He wondered if the kids even remembered him, he hoped Scarlett did, even if she just recognised him as a person and not her father, he would be ok with that, but he knew there was no chance with Kaia.

He didn't expect April to have been talking about him in their house, if like he said, they even lived there anymore, he suspected she maybe moved to Puerto Rico to be back home with her parents, which obviously, would have lost every ounce of respect they had for him.

He'd ruined his life and most importantly, he ruined April's life and that was something he never wanted to do, but on that night, his brain still wasn't functioned, everywhere he looked he seen Mike pinning April to the wall, hurting her, right whilst Kaia slept in her cot beside, he couldn't risk the chance of Mike coming back and doing it again.

He asked every day if he had anyone that came to ask to visit him, the repeat answer of no made him believe that April just gave up on him a long time ago.

He lay on the bed in the cell, Ben playing his ridiculous music through his headphones across from him, magical thing about prison, you were actually still allowed to do normal stuff, there was a shop downstairs where you could buy things, Ben invested in a pair of cheap head phones and an MP3 player, even if it was crap music, he just wanted to listen to it, which Punk understood, music was a big part of his life.

"Brooks." The steal door opened as an officer stood in the door way.

Ben paused his music and turned to Punk who sat up straight, the only time officers came to the door was to collect you if you were getting out, or collect you because a visitor had arrived.

"What?" Punk said, standing up, "Is she here? Can I see her?"

"Just come with me." The officer said.

Ben just banged his hand off the hard mattress, clearly happy for his cell mate and someone who he would now call his friend, that he was finally getting to see his wife, he didn't know why they didn't let her visit from the start like his girlfriend did, but that didn't matter now.

Punk just walked along the hall, knowing exactly where he was going to visit, he'd seen so many people go into the little room, but then he seen the officer go into a side room. Every ounce of hope had left him yet again and he followed the officer into the room.

"Alright. Sit down." He said, watching Punk sit down on the chair across from the desk.

"So… you've been in here for five years." The officer said as Punk nodded in agreement, "This is your last year, yes?"

"Yes." Punk nodded.

"Ok… due from good behaviour in here, you know… you're a good guy… we're going to let you out on probation." The officer said, watching Punks mouth drop.

He didn't think 'good behaviour' even meant anything, he thought that was just a stupid thing people made up.

"Don't get excited, I did say probation, we catch you breaking the law, even so much as speeding whilst on the road, you're back in here, do you understand?" The officer said as Punk nodded quickly.

"I can go home?" He asked, mesmerised.

"Yes, you can go home." The officer nodded, "Now… pay attention now, this is where I'm going to tell you what's going to happen." The officer said as Punk tried to focus on what he was about to say.

He was finally getting out, he was finally getting to go home and reunite with his family, if he wasn't in company with large men, he probably would have started crying.

"Ok, so you'll sign these papers today…" The officer said, handing him over some papers and a pen, watching Punk quickly scribble down his messy signature on the sheet. "Then you will have a BCI and NCIC check run for outstanding warrants, here is a sheet with everything you need to know about probation, who to report to, what times, you know… just simple instructions in case you forget." The officer said, watching Punk fold the paper up and hold it tightly.

"So I can leave tonight?" Punk asked.

"Unfortunately no, in the morning we'll call for you, you can come get changed into the clothes you came in, your phone, wallet, things like that will be given back to you and you'll sign another few documents and then, we'll never want to see you in here again. Clear?" The officer spoke.

"Crystal." Punk nodded, about to stand up when he had one more question, "You'll contact my wife, won't you? You know, to tell her I'm coming home." Punk said.

"We'll do that, yes." The officer nodded.

Punk just smiled to himself as he stood up and was led back to his cell, that had got to be the best feeling in the world, being told he was actually getting out of this place.

_With April…_

April sat in the living room herself after putting the girls to bed. Poor Kaia was coming down with the flu, so she made sure she had everything she needed beside her bed, tissues, glass of water, things like that. She didn't have to be told that she was doing a pretty good job of raising two infant children on her own, she'd learnt now to put them before anything, they were all she really had left, all she had left of Punk too. She'd removed any framed pictures from the house of her and Punk, it just made her upset when she looked at them, she also threw out all the wrestling DVD's they had, just in case one day Kaia or Scarlett decided they wanted to watch it and asked who the man with the gold belt, tattoos and slicked back hair was, they'd gone through the past five years thinking they never had a dad, there was no point in explaining everything now.

She laid still on the couch, enjoying the comfort of her feet resting up, having had a long shift at work today, the work kept her going, now that the kids were at school and kindergarten, she didn't need to worry about who would look after them while she was away.

She remembered the night that Colt suggested she take her wedding ring off and divorce Punk. She was very close to slapping him, but it wasn't the first time she had heard it, 'why is she still married to him?' because she loved him, because no matter what crime he had committed, what he had done to their family, she still loved him and always would. Her and Colt's friend ship was on a very thin line these days, she knew they both were just clashing all of the time, she missed Punk, he missed him, they just stepped on each other's toes and it was best that they kept their distance as much as they could.

She was just about to switch the TV off and head on upstairs to bed, when she heard the phone ringing from in the kitchen. She stood up with a sigh and walked away in, looking at the unknown number, she normally ignored them, but something just told her to answer it.

As soon as she heard the man speak, telling her it was the prison calling, the phone nearly dropped out her hand. After five years, was she finally getting to visit him, was she finally going to see his face, would she be able to finally hug him or kiss him.

The she heard him go on and say something about being placed on probation.

"Wait…" April paused, "What?" She said.

The man repeated himself for April, announcing that Punk was getting let out of the prison gates and she dropped the phone right out of her hand, almost hearing the phone burst her ear drum from dropping. He was getting out, he was actually getting out, she was going to be able to hug him, sleep next to him, kiss him, have him back the way she used to, she had to let Colt know, she had to.

_The next morning…_

After Ben got over the hint of jealousy last night, he was very happy that Punk was getting let out, especially when he did have a wife and kids unlike him who just had a girlfriend and was still fairly young. He knew he didn't have long to go either and Punk told him the moment he gets out, he was meeting up with him.

"It's been a good five years with you Ben, it really has." Punk said, putting his two hands on Ben's shoulders, "But you have no idea how glad I am to be saying I'm leaving." He said, watching Ben smile.

"Happy for you man." Ben smiled, patting Punk on the shoulder.

"And when you get out, you better call me right away." Punk pointed his finger at Ben in a warning signal.

"I promise." Ben nodded, "Take care man." Ben said, wrapping his arms around Punk brotherly.

"You too." Punk said, pulling back and grabbing the pictures he had beside the bed that he was so glad to be leaving.

After leaving the cell, he went back to the room he went to yesterday and got his clothes, phone and wallet back, being sent to the toilets to change back into the normal clothes.

It felt so good to feel the soft cotton Ramones t-shirt on him and his usual army shorts that were a little big for him now, having lost a few pounds from being in prison, never the less, they were his own clothes, they still smelt of his cologne and funny enough he could smell the perfume April wore on it, which made it all the more better.

He went back to the room to sign a few more papers and then finally, walked down to the exit with an officer behind him to open the gates for him.

"We aren't the local ice cream parlour, we don't want to see you back here, ok?" The officer said.

"Trust me. I won't be back here." Punk said, giving him his word. No way would he risk or do anything to get sent back in here. These were five years of hell and he was finally getting out.

As soon as the gate was open, he walked straight out and didn't look back, hearing the gate shut behind him.

Just feeling the fresh cold air on his face and feeling the mild sun shine down in his eyes, it was like a blessing and a miracle to be back out here, watching the cars on the road, people walking in the streets. Just being back out on earth was enough to make him smile, because when you're in prison, it's a completely different world.

He assumed he would have to get a cab home which he didn't even mind, anything to sit back in a car and feel the wheels drive him across town.

He was about to walk further on through the car park when he heard a car horn beep at him. He looked around and seen a car bumped up on the curb with its hazard lights on, he knew whose car it was and as soon as he stepped out the car, Punk just chuckled down to the ground and walked quickly towards him, wrapping his arms tightly around his best friend, he didn't even care how gay he felt at that moment in time, he had missed Colt so much, hearing his voice was just everything.

"You doing alright?" Colt asked him, pulling him back and looking at him, strangely nothing had changed, he could tell Punk had lost some weight, but apart from that, he looked just like what he looked like when he went into prison five years ago, which he was glad, for April's sake.

"Better than ever." Punk nodded.

"You ready to go home?" Colt patted him on the shoulder, it felt so good to see his best friend, live and in living colour, he'd never went this long without Punk, the most he hadn't seen Punk for was about 3 months, it felt so good to finally have him back.

"Home." Punk muttered under his breath, "Yeah, let's get the fuck out of here." Punk said, about to walk round into the car when he stopped and stopped Colt.

"Wait." Punk said.

"What?" Colt said, "Second thoughts?" Colt chuckled.

"Shut up." Punk said, "Do you have any pictures… you know, of the girls, April… just so I don't give myself a heart attack when I see them." Punk said.

"Yeah." Colt nodded, "I have one from yesterday actually. You know it was…"

"Scarlett's birthday." Punk nodded, "Did she have a good day?" Punk asked.

"Yeah." Colt nodded, scrolling through his phone's picture library and picking out a picture of Scarlett and Kaia. Realising that Punk had only images of what they looked like from Kaia being just a baby and Scarlett only being two, Colt knew it would be a shock to see them so grown up.

"Here." Colt said, slowly passing him the phone with the picture of Scarlett and Kaia from yesterday, Scarlett with the biggest smile on whilst Kaia tried her best to smile, she didn't like pictures very much.

Punk just took a deep breath and looked down at the picture, almost keeling over, those weren't his babies anymore, they looked so different, they both had dark hair like his, Kaia with his eyes and Scarlett with her mothers, they looked so happy, so care free and not knowing of his existence, they looked so grown up and he had missed that process of seeing them become what they look like today. He was meant to have front row seat at that.

"Jesus Christ…" Punk said, looking up, trying not to let the tears that were forming slip out, handing Colt his phone back.

"You alright?" Colt asked him.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, sniffling and rubbing his eyes, "You got any of April?" He asked.

"Yeah." Colt nodded, "She hasn't changed." He chuckled, passing the phone back to him, watching him smile at the picture.

Punk just stared at the picture, she looked just the same like Colt said, still absolutely stunning, every inch of her, her tanned skin was still there, her soft dark hair, but he did notice how tired, un enthusiastic she looked, he knew she was faking the smile in the picture, which was because of him, which led him to pass the phone back to Colt.

"Does she hate me?" He asked Colt.

"She doesn't hate you." Colt shook his head, "She hates what you done." Colt said, "Now c'mon, I don't want to spend any longer standing outside this place." Colt said, looking up at the prison building.

"Try living in it for five years." Punk rolled his eyes, getting into the car as well as Colt did, preparing himself for one of the most amazing yet toughest moments of his life, seeing April and his kids again.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

"I don't think I can do this." Punk said, his palms sweating like mad as he sat in the car outside his house with Colt.

"Yes you can. It's April… you know her." Colt said, "I'll let you go in and speak to her whilst I go get the kids." Colt said.

"Where are they?" Punk asked.

"School. Kindergarten." Colt said, looking to Punk like he was insane, then immediately disposing the look reminding himself that Punk was still expecting to walk into the house and see Scarlett still two years of age and Kaia not even being able to speak yet.

"Right… yeah, of course." Punk said, stepping out of the car and looking up at the house, the closer he got to April, the more real everything seemed, he didn't know what it was going to be like when he saw her for the first time, would it be awkward? Would it be strange? Would she be scared of him? He was terrified of what she might think of him, but he couldn't hide from her any longer.

"Good luck." Colt nodded. The full car journey home with Punk was just filled with Punk asking questions, questions about WWE, the bands he listened to, what movies had come out that he had missed, all questions that felt so strange for Colt to answer.

"Thanks." Punk nodded, shutting the car door and stepping up onto the pavement, watching Colt drive away.

He just took a deep breath and rubbed his hands together, the combination of excitement and terrified wasn't good, his stomach was in knots, the fact that she was just a few metres away from him now, so close yet in his brain so far still.

He just shook his terrifying thoughts out his head and walked to the door, using the key that the prison had took off him and gave him back today to get in, slowly walking in and closing the door behind him quietly.

The smell of his house had certainly changed since the last time. The last time all he could smell was the smell of babies, talcum powder, just the natural scent of babies, but now all he could smell was coffee, burning candles and a hint of dog, which his eyes soon caught on to the huge black Rottweiler sleeping in the kitchen in a bed.

"Jesus Christ April." Punk muttered at the huge dog, but he smiled. If she got a dog that meant she didn't have another man, she clearly got the dog for protection.

He walked further into the house, trying his best not to wake the dog, the last thing he wanted was to have his arm tore off. He heard quick movement upstairs and then suddenly footsteps creaking down the stairs.

His heart was beating rapidly, in a matter of seconds, he wouldn't need to keep staring at pictures to be reminded of her beauty, she would be right in front of him.

He stayed on the one spot, fidgeting around with his hands, letting them drop when he saw her walking downstairs, her face wasn't up to look at him yet, probably trying to concentrate on the stairs more than anything, but when she reached the bottom, she didn't wait about, she looked right his way.

Punk saw her lip quiver and her arms collapse at either side of her body.

He decided he would move towards her, he didn't think she could process her brain to walk right.

Walking towards her, getting closer and closer to her, it almost felt surreal, to see her again after all these years, to be back in his house with her, he had missed her so much and his punishment of being held away from her was finally over. Because that's what he saw prison as, not a place to spend for killing his brother, but a place where he was parted from his wife, his best friend, his soul mate.

As soon as he got towards her and was looking down at her, he watched a tear roll down her eye.

April just looked up at him. She felt so light headed just by looking at him, feeling him right in front of her, she'd waited five years for this moment and nothing felt any better than seeing his face again, she hadn't even though once about how the last time he was in this house, he had killed Mike. She didn't have any time to share one thought about that, all in her mind was just him, being here with her.

She felt him reach out and wipe the tear away from her face with the outside of his finger, she shuddered at his sudden touch and felt him cup both her cheeks.

He watched as she closed her eyes, his hands cupping her soft cheeks, finally reaching out for her touch, not being able to hold back any longer.

April re opened her eyes and he was still there, looking at her, so close, cupping her cheeks softly, she wasn't just dreaming. She immediately just wrapped her arms around his body, silently moaning as she done so, feeling him even closer now.

Punk just shut his eyes and hugged her back just as tight, leaning his head down and burying it into his neck. April moved her arms from around his body and up around his neck, almost strangling him but not being able to help it, she felt like if she let go, he would be gone again.

"I've missed you so much." Punk muttered into her neck, feeling her gasp at his voice, pressing her body against his.

April just pulled back and this time cupped his cheeks, looking up at him, another few tears rolling down her eyes, no one could take this moment away from her, he was finally back home where he belonged.

She rested her forehead up against his, looking into his eyes as her hands stayed cupped against his cheeks. She was surprised to see how well he looked, yeah he felt a little more bonier than before, she could almost feel his ribs whilst hugging him, but nothing a few Chicago pizza's couldn't fix. She had images of him coming out, having turned to drugs, pale skin, his tattoos not as bright as what they were, but it was just him, the same Punk, the same Phil she had always known.

"I thought you had given up on me." Punk said, taking her hands from his cheeks, holding them in his, taking so much pride in holding her again, having her right here with him, it was the best feeling possible.

"No." April said, watching Punk look at her, melting at the sound of her voice through his ears again, "Never." She shook her head.

"You never came." Punk said, still a small, soothing calm voice, in which she deserved.

"I came every week." April said, not understanding but not really caring to be honest, she was just glad he was out for good now.

"It doesn't matter." Punk shook his head, "I'm home now." He said, wrapping his arms around her body again, holding on to her tightly. He could have stayed with his arms wrapped around him forever now.

_Later on…_

After Punk and April both recomposed and got a hold of themselves, April immediately asked a question that she was dying to ask.

"How did you get out? So early?" She asked, folding her arms and looking up at him, still not believing it was really him.

"Good behaviour." Punk said, putting his hands in his pockets, "I'm still on probation though, have a lot of rules I have to still follow for the time being." Punk said.

"Like what?" April asked curiously.

"I need to be in the house by 10pm every night." Punk rolled his eyes in embarrassment, "If I commit another crime, as small as it may be, I get put back in prison." He said, watching April just shut her eyes and look away from him, "April." Punk said, watching her look back up again, "I'm never going back there. I promise." He said, he would never ever jeopardise or risk anything to get put back inside.

"I can't believe you're actually here." April said, still in awe and shock, "I missed you so much it hurt." She confessed.

"I'm home now." Punk said, "I am never, ever leaving your side, ever again. Never." He said, looking down at her, watching her look up at him, both thinking the same exact thoughts.

Punk went to lean down and finally kiss his wife after all these years, when he heard the door open and tiny little footsteps scatter in the door. His heart dropped again just as he thought it had regained composure after seeing April.

April seen the terrified look on his face, "It's alright." She nodded.

Punk just looked at her and took a deep breath, turning round and watching the dog that he assumed was April's, wake up and greet both children who came into his eye sight.

He smiled at them giggling as the dog bounced his nose off them, clearly being very fond of them both, he assumed the dog was a definite permanent pet. He watched them both individually, for having two years between them, they were almost the same height as each other, Scarlett being slightly taller.

April looked at Punk, she could tell he was dying quietly inside, she knew that he knew, these girls didn't know who he was, as far as Scarlett and Kaia went, this man was a stranger in their home.

Colt just looked from Punk who was staring at the girls playing with the dog, to April who was watching Punk.

Scarlett was the first to look over at her mother, and then to Punk.

Punk prayed she would recognise him.

"C'mon Scar…" Punk muttered to himself under his breath, "C'mon…" He prayed, looking at her staring at him.

"Mom…" Kaia exclaimed, walking over to April, her shoulders slumping over as she sneezed on her way over.

"You still not feeling well baby?" April asked her, running her hands through her hair, crouching down to her, watching her nod and lean over April's shoulder, a tired sigh escaping her, Kaia hadn't really noticed Punk, but Scarlett was still watching him whilst keeping her small hand on the dog.

April just looked up at Punk and nudged him, "Speak." She mouthed to him, but then she realised he probably didn't know what to say, what could he say.

Punk just walked slowly towards Scarlett, watching her still look at him curiously, no one but Colt ever came into her house. This was oddly strange. She felt like she'd seen this man before but yet she had no clue.

"You remember me, right?" Punk crouched down to her, looking into her eyes with hope, looking at her just stare at him, slightly backing away.

April just frowned with Kaia coughing in her ear and Colt scratched the back of his head, not really being able to look at the sight. He knew this was crushing Punk.

Scarlett just dodged her way from Punk, walking away from him and over to April, standing behind her.

Punk just sighed and stood up straight, he thought he had her, just for a few minutes of looking into her gorgeous eyes, he thought she knew him, obviously he was wrong.

Colt just patted Punk on the back and Punk just nodded to him, hanging his head down and looking at the floor.

April let another tear escape her, this was horrible to watch, both her daughters just oblivious to their father and there was nothing she could do about it.

_Later that night…_

Colt decided he would take the kids out for dinner instead of having them around Punk and April, he figured they needed more than 10 minutes for each other.

"I really thought she recognized me for a minute." Punk sighed, looking at the frame photos of Scarlett and Kaia in the living room, deliberately sitting on the other couch from the one that Mike was on when he… you know.

April just sighed sympathetically, sitting beside him and leaning her head on his shoulder, "It's going to be hard." April told him.

"Too hard." Punk sighed, "I've missed so much." He shook his head.

"I've missed _you _so much." April said, looking up at him, she still couldn't believe she was actually here, sitting beside him.

"You have no idea how much I missed you, all of you." Punk frowned, looking at her.

"We can work at this." April said, taking his hand, "We just have to take things slow, ease you into the girl's life's slowly, I'm not going to let these part five years, dictate the rest of your life." She shook her head.

Punk just looked at her, smiling sweetly at her, just looking at her mesmerized him, sitting on a soft couch mesmerised him to, but just having her so close and near, her words comforting him like they used to, he was so thankful.

He finally got to finish what he started from earlier and leaned over to press his lips against hers, having not felt them in five years, it was hard to keep his vocal emotions to himself, groaning slightly as his mouth moved across hers.

April could have cried, she'd like to think she deserved him back home now, he'd paid his price and in result his children didn't know who he was, the last thing he needed was to lose her as well, she pulled back after kissing him, the most enjoyment she had took part in amongst the past five years, looking at his eyes.

"Thank you." He said.

"For what?" She asked.

"For not giving up on me. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you to." He said, in his mind, prison had resulted him in losing his children, losing their knowledge of who he was and how important he used to be to them, how important they were to him. If he lost April's love along with that, he may as well have just went back to prison.

"You haven't lost them Phil." April tutted, "I am going to do everything to make sure they know you're they're father, I don't care what anyone else says." She said, squeezing his hand tightly. "I love you." April said.

Punk just smiled and closed his eyes as he said they three words, he hadn't heard them from her in such a long time, it was so nice to finally hear them, back in his own home, her sitting beside him. It was like one big dream.

"I love you too. So much." He said, pecking her lips again and pulling back quickly, sinking down into the couch and enjoying they feel of their bodies so close to each other.

He figured he would be bunking up at Colt's until April felt it was right for him to permanently stay back in the house, for the girls sake anyway, so he was going to enjoy this time with her while he could and try to focus on the positive side of things, the fact he was actually out and had his wife by his side again, if only his children were too.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**

**Thank you so much for the REVIEWS on the past two chapters, I am glad you guys are enjoying. Hopefully Punk will be able to get his children back, but I'm sure it will be a long hard process. Tune in for more soon and don't forget to REVIEW. You guys rock!**


	4. Chapter 4

After April and Punk enjoyed some time to themselves, just cuddled up against one another and really letting it sink in that they were finally reunited together, April suggested that Punk should leave and Punk automatically turned to her with a confused face.

"What?" Punk chuckled.

"The girls will be home soon." April said, feeling terribly awful and angry with herself that she had to ask him to leave for the time being, just until the girls got familiar with him, she did say it would be hard.

"What does that matter?" Punk said, turning to her.

"I just don't want them getting scared and if…"

"Scared? Scared of what? Their own dad?" Punk looked at her with an insane look, turning away from her to hide the sheer embarrassment and upset look on his face. Truth was, Scarlett or Kaia didn't know him, they didn't know his name, they didn't know that he was their dad, they didn't know him, and he had to let that sink in. The quicker he could, the less painful it would be.

April just looked at him with a upset look, "I didn't want this to happen." She said, a lump forming in her throat, "This is hurting me just as much as it is you." She said, which was true. Seeing Scarlett and Kaia completely oblivious and blank towards Punk killed her, but they'd formed a life without him, they'd learnt to grow up with just their mother, so she knew that they were both going to have a hard time dealing with a new 'stranger' in their house, that's why she thought it would be best to slowly get them used to Punk. She knew Punk didn't care though, he just wanted his daughters to know who he was, that's all he wanted.

"I better go then." Punk said, standing up off the couch, losing touch from her and feeling her stand up right after him.

"You understand right?" April asked, not wanting him to feel any worse than what he could be possibly feeling.

"Yeah." Punk nodded. He did understand, as much as he didn't want to, he did. "All of this… everything that I've caused, the girls forgetting me, you having a hard time raising them, it's all down to me." Punk admitted, looking down at her, watching her shake her head in disagreement. He still couldn't believe that she was actually sticking by him throughout this, there was no way he could have went on if he had lost her love as well.

"This isn't your fault. I should… I should have done something to keep your memory, I should have told them about you as they grew up but… I just got to upset…"

"Shh…" Punk soothed, stroking his hand down the back of her head, over her soft hair, "Don't even dare take the blame, don't." He shook his head, "I'm so proud of you, you've raised them so well without me, they're both just as gorgeous as you are… we'll get through this April… I promise you." He said, kissing her head and feeling her smile lightly at him.

Having his reassuring words back in her life was enough to make her smile, she'd gone five years without them, it couldn't have felt any better to have him right here with her, so close and near.

She watched Punk as his ears picked up on the family pet, looking at him staring down terrified of the huge dog looking up at him.

"Like him?" She asked, folding her arms as the black Rottweiler came and nudged her leg, lying down beside her and keeping his eyes on Punk.

"Yeah… he's just…" Punk looked at the drool all over his mouth, the beady eyes staring up at him as if 'don't you dare think about touching her' as he lay beside April, "Adorable." Punk smiled to April, "What's his name?" He asked.

"I let the girls name him." April smiled, "Thor." She smiled.

"Suits him." Punk said, a huge, monster like dog deserved a powerful name like Thor. His kids had brains.

April just walked by and headed out to the kitchen and the front door, Punk followed close behind.

"So why'd you get him?" Punk asked her, walking behind her as she lead him to the door, like he'd never been in the house before.

"Protection. And no one came to take him in from the shelter, he was going to get put to sleep if no one took him in. So I did." April smiled, "The girls love him." She said

"I could tell." Punk smiled, "How is the shelter? You still running it?" Punk asked her. They had so much to catch up on, one night wasn't possibly enough, but he knew he had to leave, for the kid's sake, it's not like he was leaving for good again, he'd back again tomorrow to see April at least, if not maybe he could see the kids and say hello to them.

"Yeah." April nodded, "Much easier now with the girls at school and kindergarten. I don't need to worry about anyone watching them." She said.

"Yeah. That's good." Punk nodded, "Colt would help out I'm sure." Punk said, watching April just roll her eyes and look to the ground, "He helped out when I was away right?"

"Yeah, of course." April gasped, Colt helped her tremendously with everything, "We just… we got on each other's nerves a lot, he continued to remind me every single day about how many years I had left until I would see you. Then he… he asked me if I would divorce you, it was round about the time when there was discussion of adding years to your sentence." April said.

There was a time that Punks years in prison could have been increased, but because Punk confessed of the harassment of Mike just before he killed him, they seemed to let it slide and keep to 6 years, but during that time, Colt continued to ask April if she would divorce him if the years increased.

"He did?" Punk said, shocked a little at the horrible thought. No way would have he continued to live if he got divorce papers sent to him in prison. He would have probably stolen a rope and hung himself on the spot.

"Yeah." April said, "But I didn't even have to think about it. The answer was always no." She said, "He helped me with everything, he did… mortgages, the kids, just the actual process of losing you… but he was a right jerk sometimes." She rolled her eyes, just as the door opened and Scarlett and Kaia came running in first, Colt a step behind them.

Punk just stiffened when he seen the kids again. Scarlett had her hair up in a bobble, a blue jumper and jeans, including her converse of course, while Kaia had her hair down to her shoulders, all messy over her face, her converse laces half tied, one jean leg was hunched up while the other was down and what looked like paint all across her t-shirt. He could definitely see a hint of him in Kaia while Scarlett was a lot more like April, either way they both looked beautiful.

"Kaia…" April rolled her eyes, fixing Kaia's jeans and brushing her hair out her face, watching Kaia just make faces.

Punk just laughed and turned away.

Both kids were raised with polite manners and both of them bit their tongue to ask who the man was still in their house in front of him, they would wait until he left to question their mother.

"Both of you go upstairs, I'll be up in a minute." April said, since it was Friday, she expected the girls to be waiting on her for their usual movie night. As well as being a caring mom and protective, she also considered herself quite fun, well what she thought was fun anyway, she also just liked to snuggle down at the end of the day and watch a movie with them, she'd lost her first companion on who she watched movies with.

Punk just watched them run away, both of them pushing each other and shouting for the other to get out their way, typical siblings.

"Are you leaving or something?" Colt looked at Punk with a chuckle, watching Punk and April just look away from him.

"The girls don't deserve me just barging in, especially when they don't really know me." Punk said, looking at April, then looking to Colt who just nodded

"Just like old times." Colt said, cringing as he spoke the words, regretting it.

"Yeah." Punk just smiled at Colt sarcastically, looking at April putting her hand over her forehead, Colt definitely knew how to say the wrong things at the wrong times.

"Look…" Colt said, "All that matters is that you're actually out and back with us, I'll give you three months at the least until the girls will be attached to your hip like the way they were when you left. Don't worry man." Colt said, patting Punk on the back.

April just smiled at Colt's words and hoped he was right.

"I'll wait outside for you." Colt said, looking at Punk and leaving through the door.

Punk just turned his attention back to April when Colt left, watching her look up at him, he could tell she didn't want him to leave, but he knew she would also do what was best for her children.

"I still won't sleep right until your back beside me." She confessed.

"That will come, sweetheart." Punk promised, he pained him to have to wait even more time to get close to her and sleep back next to her, "Take things slow is our new motto, right?" He smiled to her.

"Right." She nodded, feeling him lean down and peck her slowly on the lips, leaving her aching for more but feeling him just lean back away.

"I love you." He said, looking at her so innocently staring up at him.

"I love you too." She said, watching him creep out of the door and shut it behind him.

April just took a deep sigh and turned heel to head upstairs to sort out the kids. She certainly would sleep better tonight, but still not as peaceful as she would with Punk beside her, knowing he was out of prison though, it just made her feel one hundred times better, physically and mentally. And knowing she had felt his lips back against her own and heard his words through her ears and seen his figure through her eyes, it was enough to make her do something she hadn't done in a while when she was alone with the kids, smile.

She got to the top of the stairs and headed into Scarlett's room where Kaia was too, both of them sitting on the bed, waiting for their mom to help them into their pyjamas.

"Mom." Kaia spoke up.

"Yeah?" April said, going to Scarlett's drawers and getting pyjamas out, getting her changed first and then she would head over to Kaia's room to get her changed.

"Who was the man?" Kaia asked, being her nosey self.

April made a long pause as she was crouched down pulling the pyjama t-shirt over Scarlett's head, pulling the bobble gently out her hair as well, about to speak, but hearing Scarlett beat her to it.

"It's the man in the pictures." Scarlett said, turning to Kaia.

April just tilted her head, confused… "What?" April said, looking at Scarlett, "What pictures?"

"Me and Kaia… when we play hide and seek, I hide under your bed, there are lots of pictures of him." Scarlett exclaimed, while Kaia just made a tired expression, not really bothered to listen to her sister's explanation to things, she liked to hear things from her mother.

April just shuffled back a little and sank right down on her knees, looking up at Scarlett, "What pictures?" April shook her head.

Scarlett huffed and ran out the room, her long hair swishing against her back, re-entering after a few minutes with a bundle of pictures in her hand, dropping them on the floor for her mother to see.

April just looked at the pictures that had been dropped by Scarlett, she had forgot she had put all the pictures and belongings of Punks under her bed, she figured it would be a place no one would be snooping around, she should have figured one of the kids would find it. Kids do play hide and seek.

She just picked a few up and looked at them, some of Punk and April by themselves, some of the kids as babies, she had no idea until now that Scarlett had found these, she figured it must have been why she was looking at Punk with such thought today.

"Who is he mom?" Scarlett asked, sitting down on her bed.

"Yeah." Kaia said, jumping off the bed, "Who is he? Who is he?" She bounced up and down, holding her mother's arm while April just kept her eyes glued to the pictures. She couldn't believe this.

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	5. Chapter 5

April just looked from Kaia to Scarlett, their intrigued faces glued to her as they waited for her answer, she knew Scarlett wasn't as young and stupid as what most people would think a 7 year old would be. There were so many pictures of Punk, she clearly knew he was something to do with, if not her but her mother.

Kaia on the other hand was just interested, she didn't care for the pictures, she just liked to be surprised and she felt like she could be just now.

April thought long and hard on how she was possibly meant to answer this. "You know when people have children…" She said, looking at them both, Kaia standing beside her playing with her hair while Scarlett sat on her bed, looking and listening carefully, "There's always a mom and a dad?" She said, looking at them both nod, they might have been young but they weren't stupid.

"Well… sometimes, things happen… people have to go away, and either the mom or the dad will raise the children by themselves." She said, hoping this was process in their little heads, she didn't want to confuse the poor things.

"Yeah…" Scarlett nodded.

"Why do they have to go away but?" Kaia asked with a sad face.

"Sometimes they just have to, they don't want to, but they have to." April said, "The man in the pictures…" April said, picking up a picture of Punk and Scarlett, a few days after Scarlett was born, "He didn't want to go." She said, looking up from the picture and looking at their innocent little faces. She stood up and sat down on the bed beside Scarlett, watching Kaia climb up on to her lap to sit, whilst April kept a hold of the picture in her hand, "Girls… he's your dad." April said, looking down at Scarlett who just looked back up at her. They both understood what a dad was, they just assumed they didn't have one.

"He's colourful, I like him." Kaia smiled, looking at the picture. April just chuckled as Kaia seemed to crack a smile, while Scarlett just stayed sitting with a straight face.

Was this meant to make a difference to her life? She lived perfectly fine without a dad, why did she need one now?

"When did he leave?" Scarlett asked.

"When you were only two, your sister was just a baby." April said, "You were his best friend, you know." April nudged her, "He took you everywhere with him." She said, watching Scarlett stand up and sit down on the floor, crossing her legs as she skimmed through the pictures.

"It's getting late now… why don't you get the pictures together and put them back under the bed." April suggested, watching Scarlett nod and looking at her keep a picture out, taking the rest of them through to April's room.

April let Kaia down from her lap and looked at the picture that Scarlett had left out. It was a picture of Punk and Colt, not that long before Punk went to prison.

"Do you like this one?" April asked Scarlett as she walked back into the room.

"Yeah." Scarlett whispered, walking over and pulling the covers back from her ready made bed, slipping inside it as April tucked the covers over her, sitting the photo on her bedside table where her dim lamp was, "Goodnight sweetheart. I love you so much." April said, kissing Scarlett's head, watching Scarlett lift the picture from the table and sit in beside her in bed. She smiled. She was glad both girls weren't horrified of the idea of having a father around, she knew this was only the beginning, but so far was so good.

She left Scarlett's room with Kaia in hand as she skipped across the hall, dragging her mother into her room.

April got Kaia ready for bed, helping her get her pyjamas on and getting her into bed.

"Sweet dreams princess." She said, kissing her head, "I love you." She smiled, walking out of the room where she shut the light off and closed the door, relaxing her shoulders and standing still in the hall.

She didn't think it would be as easy as that, she supposed that Scarlett finding the pictures helped a little, she could obviously see from the pictures that Punk was quite important. She knew Punk would be delighted to know that they took it in quite well. Kaia already seemed to like his colourful ways and Scarlett didn't really say anything, which was usually the case, she was a quite girl, but she could tell she would soon enough be alright with it.

_The next morning…_

Punk couldn't explain how much he enjoyed the comfort of a soft mattress and duvet around him last night, it was the best he had slept in five years, and then being woken up by the smell of coffee, it just felt so good to be home. The pleasure of getting to wear his boxers to bed again, unlike in prison where he was stuck with the stupid jumpsuits. Not that it was warm enough to wear just his boxers anyway.

He got downstairs and saw that Colt had left him a cup of coffee with a note to it, explaining that he was out of town for the weekend for a wrestling show, he also wished him good luck with the kids and explained the house was his until things were settled back at his own home.

He left the note on the kitchen counter and took the coffee over with him to the TV. Sitting down on the couch and switching it on. It had been so long since he had got to watch his favourite programmes, or hockey and baseball, he'd missed out in all the years of matches and series. It sucked.

He didn't want to go round to see April so early, but that's all he could think about since he woke up. He wondered if she had told them, or if she was going to wait until he was there with her.

He headed round to the house anyway, wanting to see April's face again and sure enough, she answered the door with a smile. He knew it was obviously so good for her to have him back and see him again, even if they were doing things slower than what they both wished.

"Hey, you alright?" April smiled, letting him in as he stepped into the house, April closing the door over behind him.

"Yeah, I'm good." Punk nodded, "How'd you sleep?" He asked.

"Better than usual." She nodded the truth, she hadn't slept as well as what she had in five years, the comfort of knowing he was safe and home and also the knowing that the kids were a little familiar with who he was, it was enough to let her sleep right through.

"Good." Punk smiled, happy she had got a good sleep, even if he wasn't beside her.

In the background he could hear the girls shouting, he couldn't tell if it was at each other or possibly the TV, but their voices were enough to make him smile to.

"You're not going to believe what happened last night." April folded her arms, figuring she would keep Punk at the doorway, not wanting the kids to spot him just yet.

"What?" Punk asked curiously.

"I was putting them to bed and Kaia asked me who you were, Scarlett said you were the man in the pictures." She said.

"Pictures?" Punk said, a chuckle of confusement leaving him.

"Well… I kept all the pictures of us, of you… all your belongings under the bed, I forgot kids played hide and seek, I don't know how long she had been looking at them." April said.

"Was that why she was looking at me weirdly yesterday?" Punk realised.

"I think so." April nodded, "So I answered their question on who you were, I told them you were their…"

"Dad!" Kaia jumped up and down beside her mother as she came into the doorway, still in her pyjamas as Scarlett trailed tired behind her, they could both hear voices from the doorway and needed to investigate.

Punk just looked at April and back down to a smiling Kaia. He did not expect that but hearing that word again, he had only ever heard Scarlett call him it, but hearing it from Kaia was like angels singing, yet he still didn't know what to say.

"It's the man in the pictures." Kaia whispered to Scarlett who just nodded. She knew. She had eyes.

Punk just laughed a little at Kaia's nature.

"Girls… why don't you go back into the living room, let…" She paused and looked at Punk, "Let dad take his jacket off…" She suggested.

Kaia just nodded and skipped away, whilst Scarlett trailed behind again, both of them out of sight.

"I think I've forgot how to be a dad." Punk scratched his head in embarrassment, he felt like he didn't even know what to say to the girls.

"Oh be quiet. It's like riding a bike. Just pick up from where you left off." She suggested.

"Where I left off… so you want me to still feed them with aeroplane noises, sing stupid songs to them and read books with one word per page?" He laughed.

"Well no… you'll be fine alright, that's your girls in there. They're yours. Please, don't be nervous around them." She said, "We still need to just take one day at a time, soon enough things will be back to normal, ok?" She said, "I promise."

Punk just nodded and felt her reach up and kiss him sweetly, as if giving him a confidence boost.

He just had to do what April said, take one day at a time, and hopefully, sooner rather and later, he'd have his wife back by his side, his daughter's back by his side, and everything from his past could be wiped away and forgotten about.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	6. Chapter 6

April watched from the kitchen as Punk sat in between Scarlett and Kaia. Kaia seemed to be doing all the talking and she could see Punk chuckle every so often, while Scarlett sat and just looked up at Punk.

Punk was still in awe, sitting between both of his children . He felt like he was going to wake up in a minute and be in the cell block, freezing cold and looking at only pictures, but he wasn't. He was really here and from now on he was always going to be here.

He noticed Scarlett hadn't really been saying anything, Kaia seemed to be doing all the talking, telling Punk all about herself.

"Hey…" Kaia said, kneeling up on the couch so she was face on with Punk.

Punk felt her press her cold little hands on his face, opening his eyes up wide so she could see.

"You have the same colour of eyes as me." Kaia smiled, fairly examining Punk all over.

"Well what do you know…" Punk smiled to her, watching her sink back down on to the couch.

"Scarlett has mom's eyes." Kaia said, letting Punk know like he didn't know anything about them both.

Punk just turned to Scarlett, catching her staring up at him, looking at her turn away from him, pretending she wasn't staring him out.

"What you watching?" Punk asked her, directly to Scarlett, knowing fine well what she was watching, just trying to strike up conversation.

"Last night's hockey game." Scarlett said, keeping her eyes glued to the TV.

"Who's your favourite?" Punk asked her, watching her hug her knees as she curled into the corner of the couch.

"Kings." Scarlett said deviously, turning to him and watching him look confused.

"Wait… what?" Punk said, surely April wouldn't have let his daughter's grow up to be LA Kings fans.

"Just kidding." Scarlett laughed, finding it amusing, "Hawks." She smiled, looking back over to the TV.

Punk just smiled as he heard her laugh. So cute and bubbly, and then her smile, so beautiful and angel like, even if she did still have her pyjamas on and her hair was a mess from sleeping.

It was so weird for him to actually be striking up conversation with both girls, all he could remember was Scarlett talking to him in toddler language and Kaia babbling away to him. Having both of them lively and speaking in full clear sentences, it was bizarre yet so amazing yet so tragic that he had missed everything in between the baby language and the full sentences.

"So you're at school right?" Punk asked her, looking at her nod, "Do you like it?" He asked.

"It's ok sometimes." She smiled to him.

Punk just nodded and turned his attention back to Kaia who was sitting crossed legged in the other corner of the couch, playing on her DS, looking concentrated.

It wasn't nearly as good as what he wanted it to end up being in the end, he wanted the kids attached to him the way they used to be, right now they were both on either side of the couch while he sat in the middle, one had her face glued to the TV and the other to her DS, but they didn't know him, not yet. What person gets attached to a stranger so quickly?

_Later on…_

Once April got the kids changed and took them to their club they went to on a Saturday afternoon, she headed back to the house where Punk was still lingering around.

"Do you want anything?" April asked, taking her jacket off as she walked over to him, standing up in the living room with a framed photo in his hand, she suspected he was taking a look around.

"No, I'm good." Punk smiled to her, sitting the frame back down where it sat before and turning to her, "What clubs is it they go to?" He asked.

"Scarlett goes off to a book club. School recommended it since she has trouble with reading… Kaia goes to an athletics club just beside it. See… this is my 2 hours throughout the full week where I can sit down and hear my own thoughts." She laughed, throwing her jacket over on the opposite couch and sitting down.

"Sorry..." He shook his head, "I'll go." He said, about to walk away when she spoke up.

"Don't be stupid." She spat, "Sit down." She said, feeling like she may have gave off a 'get out of my house now' vibe.

Punk just nodded and sat down beside her.

"So… this morning, when you spoke to them, how did it go?" She asked him.

"Good… I think, Kaia seemed to be the one doing the talking, but I guess this is only the first step right?" He said.

"Right. Let them get a chance to get used to it." She said, leaning her head down on his shoulder and smiling.

Just being able to do this for the second time was incredible, having his scent back again, lingering around the house, it was enough to keep her smiling every minute of the day, but she had to ask him a few things, things she expected he probably wouldn't want to answer.

"So… how was prison?" She asked, lifting her head and looking up at him in the eye.

Punk just silently chuckled while looking at her, "It was great." He smiled, "Really great."

"Phil… I'm being serious? I was worried, they never let me see you, I thought something was wrong…" She said with a concerned and serious face.

"What happens to everyone in prison April? They change, they see things… look I don't want to talk about it." He shook his head.

"Well too bad." April said, standing up and grabbing her jacket, zipping it up again.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"We're going out." April said, taking his hand and leading him out of the living room.

_Later on…_

"See, that wasn't so bad." She smiled, having just practically forced Punk to wait in a line with her in Starbucks, she knew the best way to get back to his normal routine without considering the kids, was to jump head first.

"People were staring at me." Punk said, walking alongside her down a quite pathway, holding on to his coffee as she did.

"No one was staring Phil." April shook her head, "You just think that." She said, walking in front of him and sitting down on a wall, the very wall that he filmed some of his documentary on just in front of the river.

Punk sat down beside her and gave her a smile, it was nice for her to get him out, he probably wouldn't have went unless he was with her, he couldn't face things alone now the way he could before, he'd became more hesitant, more aware, and that was because of prison.

"So… we have an hour until I need to go pick the kids up." She said, "Look, I'm not asking you to tell me everything, I'm not going to force you, but we used to tell each other everything, don't hide away from me now." She said, resting her hand on his lap.

"It could have been worse." He admitted, "I was landed with a really awesome dude for a cell mate, promised him I would see him after he got out, I figured I would have got landed with some drug dealer or rapist, you know… scum, but he was a good guy, too young to be in prison…" He shook his head, looking at April smile, knowing she wanted to hear good things and not bad.

"Give me your view on prison? When you think of prison, what do you see?" He asked her, "Be honest with me."

"Um…" April thought, "Uncomfy beds, tiny rooms, steal doors closing you in, jumpsuits, only getting out for food." She supposed, turning to him,

"Do you know… that prison has a shop were you can buy things in?" He raised his eyebrows at her, watching her chuckle under her breath, "They had a library, outside area… I guess what I'm saying is… the conditions, they could have been a lot worse." He said, taking a drink out of his coffee.

April just listened to him while occasionally taking a drink out of her coffee.

"For a young person, with no wife, no kids, no job… it would have been cope able, but for me… two kids, wife, a name, the CM Punk name… ruined everything." He said, "I said it before and I'll say it again, the punishment in there wasn't for me killing Mike, the punishment was being kept away from you, from my family… it was never about killing Mike, not for me anyway." He said.

April just sighed, "Well… that punishment is over." She said, brushing her hand through his hair, looking at him smile.

"What about you? How was life without Phil?" He said.

"Awful." She said, "I was scared. I didn't know how to do things without you. There was a point where I didn't think I could physically go on another day, if it wasn't for the girls, or for Colt… I don't think I would have made it through all these years." She said, "I had so many questions to ask you and no one would let me see you to ask you them." She said.

"Do you still have they questions?" He asked, watching her nod, "Well, you can ask me now." He suggested.

April just nodded and looked up at him, "Why?" She chuckled silently, "Why'd you kill him?"

Punk just stiffened, his body going hard as he looked at her, "Why wouldn't I kill him?" He said, "He hurt you. He invaded our home, our life with our kids, why would I risk any of that again? Better to just get rid of him." He said.

"And look how that worked out for you?" She said, "He's probably up there, laughing at you, still getting exactly what he wanted." She said.

Punk watched as she looked up at the sky.

"You're looking in the wrong direction." He said, "He's down there, burning." Punk said, pointing down to the ground.

April just swallowed loudly and looked at him, an awkward silence surrounding them.

"Let's just… stop depressing ourselves out, all of that is in the past, I'm more focused on getting the kids to be familiar around me." He said.

"They will, I promise. One step at a time." She said, watching him nod and look on to the busy road.

_Later that night…_

After April went and picked the kids up from their clubs, she told them to go wait upstairs and she would be up in a minute to get them in the bath and make their dinner.

"So… come round about the same time tomorrow, yeah?" She smiled, walking Punk to the door, she felt like such a teenager.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "Thanks for getting me out today, it's been a while." He said with a nod, grateful for her support and concern throughout the past few days.

"No problem." She said, "Maybe when Colt gets back, me and you could go out, you know… really catch up on things." She said.

"Yeah, I'd like that." He nodded, not being able to help the grin on his face, did he just got asked out by his own wife?

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow then." She smiled.

"Yeah. Love you." He said, kissing her sweetly.

"Love you too." April said, watching him walk out of the door and shut it behind him.

All these little kisses weren't enough for her, soon enough she was just going to break that boundary between them, but she would keep her cool until she no longer could, she had control over her own body, maybe not for him though, especially after all these years.

She just headed away upstairs, shaking the thoughts that would come soon enough out of her head.

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	7. Chapter 7

The next morning after another good night sleep for April, she got up with the kids and made them their breakfast. It wasn't long into their breakfast until the door knocked. She walked out of the kitchen and to the door, opening it to see Punk standing.

"Hey." She smiled, letting him in and shutting the cold air back out.

"I'm not too early, am I?" He said, he realised that maybe he was a little earlier this morning, especially since April was still in her pyjamas.

"No…" April immediately shook her head, "They're just have breakfast." She smiled, walking back through into the kitchen.

Punk followed behind her and seen Scarlett and Kaia sitting at the table, eating their breakfast and speaking to one another. He supposed they got on with each other not that bad, better than him and Mike for sure.

Kaia spotted him first and smiled sweetly to him, waving over to him as though in secret.

Punk just laughed and waved back to her, catching Scarlett turn her head and look at him, immediately turning her head back round to her plate.

Punk watched as April seemed to be busying herself with the dishes. He seen Scarlett reach out for the squeeze tub of cyrup, watching her just squeeze some all over the pancake randomly. He frowned.

He walked over and took the plate from her just as she was about to dig in.

"Hey!" She said, looking up at him, "What are you doing?" Scarlett said, no one took food away from her.

April turned round from Scarlett's tone of voice and seen Punk putting what looked like Scarlett's breakfast in the trash.

"Phil… what are you doing?" She said with a whisper.

Punk took another pancake from the packet and put it on the now empty plate, walking round and taking a seat beside a very unhappy Scarlett.

Punk sat the plate down and looked at her, taking the tub of cyrup and squeezing out it in the pattern of her name, he watched as a smile appeared on her face, "Gotta do it right." He winked to her, watching her move the plate over towards her and smile.

"Do mine, do mine, do mine." Kaia said, kneeling up on the chair, looking over at her sister's breakfast.

"You've already ate yours." Punk chuckled.

"Don't care... Please, do mine." Kaia smiled innocently, pushing her empty plate over to him.

"Alright…" Punk said, "But as long as you half it with me." Punk said, watching her nod quickly, her intrigued little face staring at him as he done the same with her second pancake, spelling out Kaia with the cyrup. The things that amused children.

April just smiled from the kitchen, it had been a while since she had seen Punk do that with the kids. They all looked so happy, even Scarlett who didn't seem to be paying attention to him yesterday. This was good, these small steps they were taking were good.

_Later on…_

"I think they enjoyed your little arts and crafts session at breakfast." April smiled, standing in the kitchen with him, the girls in the living room watching TV.

"I'm surprised you didn't teach them how to do it." Punk said.

"Well… it was sort of your thing." April said, "Didn't want to steal your thunder." She smiled, watching him laugh.

"So when is this date you are taking me on?" Punk asked her curiously, watching her smile to herself.

"Well, Colt's home tomorrow, I could ask him to pick the kids up and then take them to his to stay, that is if he doesn't mind." April said, hoping that would be alright with Colt.

"Fine with me." He smiled.

"This is good." She nodded, "Two days and you're already making them breakfast." She smiled, "It can only get better." She said, wrapping her arms around him, resting her head against his chest.

"I hope so." Punk said, wrapping his arms around her, leaning his chin softly on her head as he enjoyed her body pressed against his.

_The next night…_

April answered the door the next night, smiling as he stood with a bunch of flowers in his hand, his usual jeans on with a band t-shirt on, blue Gracie hoody and his cubs hat.

"I know you'd prefer a video game or comic… but I thought this was more mature." He said, handing her the flowers.

"They're lovely." She smiled, taking them from him and smiling, "Thank you."

Punk just nodded and put his hands in his pocket.

"I'll just be a minute." She said, walking away from the door to put the flowers in some water and grab her coat. Immediately heading back to the door and joining him out in the cold, quiet street.

"You smell nice." She smiled as she locked the door and walked on down the street with him.

"Thanks." He smiled, "Colt ok with the girls staying?" Punk asked her.

"Yeah. He was fine with it." She smiled, "You know… Kaia asked me if you would come round for breakfast every morning when I was getting them ready for school today." April smiled.

"She did?" Punk smiled with happiness.

"Yeah." April said, "Bad thing about Kaia, she's really easy to win over." April chuckled, "Scarlett's a little more stubborn."

"I can tell." Punk said, "So where are we exactly going?" Punk asked her.

"You'll find out." April smiled, hesitantly reaching down in search for his hand, feeling him jump a little when she latched on to it, but sure enough gripping on to her hand tightly.

She watched him turn his head and smile to her as they walked down the street.

_Later that night…_

To Punk's surprise April had led him to the very restaurant they had their first date in back in 03. They even managed to get the same table which was hilarious to them, to be now sat with two children, married and practically done everything there was to do in life, when the last time they sat here, they're life had only just begun.

"This place has certainly changed." Punk chuckled, looking around.

"They refurbished it all a few years ago." April said, taking her coat off and hanging it over the chair, brushing her hair out of her face, catching Punk staring at her at the corner of her eye.

"You look beautiful." Punk said, looking at her smile.

April had missed this, the compliments, his hugs and kisses, just his voice. She was so glad to have him back with her.

"Thank you." April said, smiling down at the ground.

Punk just smiled and kept looking at her over the menu, watching her catch him but not caring, he couldn't help it, she just looked perfect.

Throughout the night they just talked about everything if that was even possible, it mostly was about the kids, what April got up to without him and other things he had missed out on.

"So I've gathered that Kaia is the sporty one while Scarlett is the opposite." Punk said, realising that his children were less alike than what he thought.

"Yeah… I don't know where Kaia gets the energy, she's always bouncing around." April laughed, "Scarlett's more into reading, drawing, things that don't involve moving." She laughed.

"I think we know who's going to be the wrestler then." Punk chuckled watching her just fake a laugh, "They watch wrestling right?" Punk asked her.

"Not really." She admitted, "I… I got rid of all the DVD's, tapes, just in case they asked who you were." She said with a sorry expression.

"Right." Punk just nodded.

"Sorry." She said, feeling bad now, realising he expected his daughters would have been growing up watching wrestling.

"Hey, it's fine." He shook his head, "Have you spoke to anyone… you know, wwe related?" He asked.

"Not really. Celeste really is the only one I've spoken to after you went to prison. Bryan hasn't spoke to me since, Chris or Joe haven't either." April said.

"Typical. You go to prison and suddenly everyone thinks you're a different person." Punk said, rolling his eyes and turning his face.

"You don't need anyone else, none of them know what happened, you have me, Colt and soon enough you'll have the kids again." She smiled, "Their loss."

"Yeah." Punk agreed with her kind words, "I've missed this." He smiled, pointing to them both, "Taking you out on dates, getting to see your smile every day, hearing your laugh again… you have no idea how much I've missed it." He admitted.

April just leaned her hand over and cupped his cheek, "I've missed it too. So much." She said, "We'll get back to normal in no time. Pretend nothing ever happened." She said, taking her hand away as he nodded.

_Later on that night…_

After Punk and April walked home, Punk was a little uncertain on what he was supposed to do, should he go into the house or should he go to Colt's after walking her home? He guessed he would just follow what she wanted.

"Tonight was good." April smiled, approaching the house.

"Yeah. It was nice to catch up on things I've missed." Punk smiled, speaking the truth, it was bizarre to find out all the things that had happened while he was gone, not even including things that involved the kids.

April just nodded and got the keys out, unlocking the door and stepping into the house, turning to see him standing still outside. She just smiled sympathetically and grabbed his hand, tugging him in the house and closing the front door over, smiling up to him as she took her coat off.

Punk just invisibly smirked as he watched her lock the door, he wasn't getting out clearly. Five years. Five years he had gone without her body, he damn well deserved an award for that. Five years without pleasing her and having their private intimate moments. His body couldn't help the tingle in it already.

April just walked by him and into the living room, hearing him follow behind her. She paused on the spot, feeling her back pressed up against his chest as she felt him lean down and kiss her neck from behind.

She couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips if she tried, she hadn't felt his lips around her neck in so long, she almost forgot how insane it used to drive her and how weak she could get.

She turned around to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck, looking up at him with lust. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this." She said, biting her lip as he just nodded, he understood, he felt the exact same.

She reached up on her tip toes and kissed him passionately on the mouth, feeling his hands tangle through her hair. She pulled back and smiled at him with innocence.

Punk just looked at her as she looked up at him with such beauty, then he felt her take his hand and walk away to the stairs, pulling him behind her and walking up the stairs that felt like the longest journey ever.

He didn't know why, but he actually felt nervous, what if he had forgot what she liked and what she didn't, he'd been away for so long, what if the hotness and spark they always had, had left.

He knew there was no way it would have. They were still the same people, the same couple, the same lovers they always were and now they were going to fully reunite and he was going to enjoy every single second of it.

**I'm sure you will all enjoy the next chapter ;)**

**Thank you all so much for the amazing REVIEWS, much appreciated and I'm glad you are all enjoying, keep them coming!**

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	8. Chapter 8

April noticed Punk taking a good look about when he got upstairs. It was his first time being up since he had got let out of prison.

"I like what you've done with the place." Punk said, noticing that April had changed some things around since he had left.

April just kept a grip on his hand, her eyes set on the bedroom, "Shhh." She silenced him quietly.

Punk felt her let go of his hand when she walked inside the bedroom, following close behind and shutting the door behind him. It was a strange thing to say, but he had missed his bedroom, his own covers, his own room walls closing him and April into each other. He had missed it and tonight he'd have it all back after five years without it.

He faced April at the bottom of the bed, his arms wrapped around her waist.

"It's just me and you tonight." Punk whispered to her, "No one else."

April just shut her eyes and nodded, leaning her head against his chest and listening to his heart pounding.

"I haven't felt you in five years." April said, looking up at him, "I can't promise I'll stay calm." She shook her head.

"Likewise." Punk mumbled back to her, watching her look up at him, her arms around his neck as his stayed firmly around her waist.

"Love me again." April said, pulling his neck down and kissing him on the lips slowly, pulling away but keeping his forehead pressed against her own, "Love me like you used to." She said, in almost a beg, watching him just nod and take her mouth back against his, tangling his hands through her soft hair as she moaned into the kiss, keeping himself as calm as he could. If he thought too hard about the fact he was actually here, right next to their bed, kissing her, he would flip and end things before they could start to please his drive, but he had to take things slow, for her sake and for him partly too. They needed this, they needed to feel each other again and they needed to enjoy every minute, it had been too long.

Punk lifted his own t-shirt up over his head, throwing it behind him and bringing his hands back into her hair, his lips attaching themselves back to her own, feeling her hands run up his chest, all the way over his shoulders to circle around his neck and melt into the kiss again.

She'd missed his tattoo's, the brightness it gave to their moments like these, the way they lit up her eyes with excitement.

"This is what got me through five years in prison." Punk mumbled against her lips, removing his hands from in her hair, gripping them on to the hem of her t-shirt and lifting it over her head, throwing it behind him like he did with his own, going back to her lips, picking her up now, smiling against her lips at the feeling of her legs circling around him, just like she always used to.

He lay her in the centre of the bed and hovered over her, keeping his weight completely off her, but their bare stomachs still touching as he kept his lips on hers, feeling her hands circle around his back, her nails digging into the skin as he moved away from her lips and to her neck, his hot breath and wet tongue sending shivers down her spine as he whispered how much he loved her in her ear.

They say that prison changed people, that they came out different people, but not Punk. He went in a loving, caring man and came out the exact same. She would go to war with anyone who thought different.

He trailed his mouth back up to her lips and continued to kiss her whilst fidgeting his hands down at the button and zip of her jeans.

April pulled away from his lips and looked down at his shaking hands try to undo the button on her jeans.

"Hey…" She said, watching him look in her eyes, "It's alright." She assured him, cupping his cheeks and pressing her lips against his, rolling him over and straddling his hips, never letting go of his lips, leaning down and running her hands through his hair and she kissed him slowly.

Punk just enjoyed the sight of lying down on his back and looking up to see her, for the past five years, he'd looked up to a white ceiling in his tiny cell block.

He watched her get off him for a minute and shimmy her jeans off, throwing them off the bed and going back on top of him, smiling at him smile up at her, leaning back down to kiss him but not staying just at his lips, trailing her lips all the way down to his chest, travelling all the way until she had ran out of skin and was met with his jeans which she quickly un done, watching him look at her as she done so.

Just as she got them undone and half way down his legs, he shimmied the rest down himself and spun her back over to where he was on top, his boxers the only thing hiding him, like her underwear was the only thing hiding her.

April just looked up at him staring down at her, watching him give her a sweet smile and peck her lips, feeling his hands reach behind her to unclasp her bra, taking down the straps once he had unclasped it and throwing it away carelessly, not waiting to cup her breasts with his hands, watching her arch her back and moan slightly, her eyes rolling back a little.

He leaned down and swirled his tongue around the tender flesh on the right, his hand still cupping the left as he swapped and enjoyed it as much as she seemed to be. Hearing her moans again were enough to send a tingle in his stomach, watching her satisfied face as her hands ran through his hair was enough to excite him more than what he already was.

"Phil…" April gasped.

"I know." Punk nodded, after paying enough attention to her upper body, which he could have spent a full day at if he could, he kept his body in line with hers but reached his hands down to take away her panties, feeling her help him out as she kicked them away once they were passed her knee caps.

April just kept her eyes directly on him, her hands circling around her back as he spread her folds and familiarised himself with her again, rocking his fingers back and forth against the sensitive, wet skin, bumping against her clit as she moaned louder, feeling him kiss into her moan, her nails digging deep into his back now as he continued to slowly torture her.

"Phil…" April threw her head back against the pillow, "Phil please…" April moaned, begging for him to do more than just touch her.

Punk slid his finger down her slit and slowly entered it inside her, watching her reaction which was priceless, feeling her full body go rigid and her back arch as he looked for her lips again, silencing her loud moaning with his lips as he moved his finger in and out of her tightness that hadn't seem to have changed since he last remembered.

"Just like I remember." Punk whispered in her ear, as he pulled back from the kiss, inserting a second finger inside her and feeling her sit up from the bed, just a little, holding on to his back and leaning over his shoulder, her mouth making an O shape as her voice hitched in his ear

She hadn't had sex in five years, no one had touched her in five years, could you blame her reaction? Punk got her to lie back down as he moved his fingers slowly in and out of her, circling her clit with his thumb, smiling to himself as he realised he hadn't lost one bit of his touch, once he started, his body just went with it and it boosted his confidence level more than what it was.

"Phil… I'm so close…" April moaned, every time Punk bumped over her g-spot she felt herself get closer and closer until finally, the build up in her stomach, the tingly sensation just let go and she felt her nails dig deeper and her moans go louder as her body rocketed through her first orgasm of the night, her sweet nectar coating his fingers.

Punk just kissed her lips softly, feeling hers tremble against his as her body still shook, her hands cupping his cheeks as he pulled his fingers away from her and raised them to his mouth, licking them clean as she watched his every movement.

"Just as sweet as I remember." He smiled, leaning back down and kissing her lips, letting her taste herself on his tongue as she moaned into the kiss again.

She was just so lost in him now, she needed him more than anything, her whole body had hardened again and there was nothing more in the world that she wanted than for him to be back inside her. She knew he felt the same.

"Phil…" April gasped as she pulled away from the kiss, "Please… make love to me, I need to feel you again… please…" She begged.

"Shhh." Punk soothed, stroking his hand down her hair that lay sprawled behind her on the pillow, "We have all the time in the world." Punk reminded her, wanting her to keep herself calm as he felt like she was losing it a little.

April just nodded and felt him give a soft peck to her lips as he reached down for his boxers and got rid of them quickly, settling in between her legs as he spread them and stroked himself a few times before doing the unthinkable. He hadn't been in this situation in five years, for a man who was used to having fun with his wife all of the time, to go to being stuck in a cell for five years with no way of relief, this was one of the best moments ever and he wasn't letting anything, no thoughts or fears pull him back from enjoying being back with his wife.

He lingered his length at her entrance, watching her swallow a lump in her throat, he just couldn't hold off any longer, no matter how slow he wanted things to go, he just had to…

"Phil!" April screamed.

Punk watched her hands as they dug into the bed sheets at either side of her, his hands gripping on to her waist as he buried himself inside her, losing every ounce of control he had and collapsing over her, leaning his forehead against her shoulder for support, groans coming from him.

April couldn't think straight, all she knew was that her husband was back where he belonged and that he should never been taken away from her.

"April… sweetheart…" Punk moaned as he lifted his head, finding a little bit of composure as he kissed her lips sweetly, pulling back and saying, "I've missed this so much." He gasped, still not moving inside her yet, waiting for her to adjust and say when.

"Move…" She said, wrapping her legs around his waist, opening herself up for better access for him, "Make love to me…" She gasped.

Punk was in no position to say no. He slowly but surely started to move in and out of her, slow but deep thrusts, filling her up from five years of absence. Every moan she made after every thrust sent shivers down his spine, this moment was perfect and he didn't ever want it to leave, he wanted her like this forever, until the day he died.

_Later on…_

April lay on her side on bed with Punk spooning behind her, his arms around her as his face buried into the back of her neck, kissing down every so often and whispering how much he loved her and always would in her ear.

"I'm so glad you're back." April whispered, Punk propped himself up on his elbow and looked over at her, watching her turn round on to her back.

Punk just looked down at her and tilted her chin to him with his finger and thumb, leaning down and kissing her slowly and softly. He was home, he was back with her and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure he never ever had to leave her side or their children again.

Punk pulled back from the kiss and lay his body back down on the soft bed, enjoying the comfort of his own sheets and bed again, enjoying April with him even more. Feeling her rest her head on his chest, he just smiled to himself and kissed her head, ignoring every other thought in his brain.

"I love you Phil." April said, relaxing her thoughts and closing her eyes. She'd dreamed of this night since Punk got taken away from her. No more dreaming was needed.

"I love you too." Punk said, running his hands up and down her body, shutting his eyes over and falling asleep to the sound of her soft breathing. No one could take this moment away from him, no one.

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	9. Chapter 9

_The next day…_

"What are you all smiles about?" Colt asked Punk as he seen his friend walk through the door happier than what he'd been the past few days being back home. He'd just put Scarlett and Kaia out to school and kindergarten.

"Nothing." Punk just shook his head with a smile, coming in and sitting down on the couch across from Colt, sighing good naturedly.

Colt just raised one eyebrow towards Punk and 'hmm'd.'

"I…" Punk smiled over to Colt, "Am getting my life back." He smiled to Colt like a child, tapping the coffee table with a happy tune, standing up and walking away to take a shower.

Colt just chuckled at Punk dancing away upstairs, it was nice to see him so happy. He deserved it from the amount of time he had spent away from everyone he loved.

_Later that day…_

When Punk left April's this morning to give her privacy and let her get showered she asked him to his delight if he would join her in picking up the kids on her off day today, which he agreed to in a heartbeat.

Even the smallest things like picking up his kids from school and kindergarten was something he took so much pride in, but he was pretty sure he would bombarded with pointing and staring, especially surrounded by parents.

"What are you doing?" April asked Punk as she walked alongside him, having just parked the car, watching him fumble around in his pockets, "Stay at peace." She said.

"I'm nervous ok." Punk said, looking at her just roll her eyes.

"You were nervous last night, got over that pretty quick." She smirked looking up at him.

"I see you still haven't lost your funny side, April." Punk made a funny face at her, walking into the school gates with April beside him.

Although April made a joke out of it, she knew Punk was genuinely nervous about doing such a small thing like picking the kids up with her, that wasn't something that he would have had if he hadn't of went to prison, prison made him this nervous, anxious person that he was today and she cursed upon it.

First to pick up was Kaia. Since the kindergarten was attached to the school Scarlett went to, April would normally pick Kaia up first and then walk round to the school to get Scarlett.

She stood at the same spot she always did in the playground, watching Punk look around at all the children and parents.

Punk wish he could have picked Kaia and Scarlett up on their first day of kindergarten and for Scarlett school too. It was just one of the things he had to come to terms of that he had missed in his children's lives, just like the list of other things he had missed out on.

Punk just laughed as he saw Kaia come running towards them, holding the straps of her backpack, having a large smile on her face. He could look at the smiling face all day.

He also noticed she had a plaster on her face.

"Kaia… what'd you do?" April said, crouching down and cupping her daughter's cheeks.

"Fell." Kaia made a dramatic sigh, her shoulders slumping down as she done so.

"You're so clumsy." April just shook her head with a laugh, standing back up tall and taking Kaia's backpack from her, holding it as they began to walk round to get Scarlett, Kaia running ahead.

"She falls monthly don't worry about it." April said, looking up at Punk with a smile.

"I figured that." Punk chuckled, "Ahh you're not a kid if you don't live with cuts and bruises on your legs." Punk said.

They finally got round to the school where Scarlett came traipsing out of school, heading to get her mother and sister and finding her father standing to. He was just everywhere wasn't he.

"Hey baby… you had a good day?" April smiled down to her, watching her nod and hand her backpack to her.

Punk suddenly felt a small hand grip on to his, looking down and seeing Kaia smile up at him, "Did you have a good day?" She smiled up at him. Everyone seemed to be asking if they had a good day, so she felt it would be polite to ask her father.

"Yeah." Punk chuckled, looking sweetly at April, recalling waking up to her this morning, "I had a great day." Punk smiled, crouching down to them both, "And do you know what will make it ten times more better?" He asked them both, getting their attention.

"What?" Scarlett folded her arms.

"If we had pizza for dinner." Punk smiled.

"Pizza!" Kaia through her hands up in the air, "Pizza pizza pizza." She sang, anyone who was walking by would have thought she had just been told she was going to Disney land or something.

Punk just chuckled and looked at Scarlett just smiling and rolling her eyes from embarrassment of her sister.

"What do you say Scar?" Punk smiled to her.

April shot her head up. She hadn't heard someone call Scarlett, Scar from when she was younger when Punk was still around. She forbidded anyone to call her it, that was Punks name for her, no one else called her Scar apart from him. She was his Scar.

"Yeah." Scarlett smiled, "Yeah." She nodded again. This man wasn't too bad she supposed, maybe she could tolerate him into his life, even though she was so used to just her mother and sister.

"Good." Punk smiled, standing up straight, Kaia's hand still attached to his as he began to walk ahead and out of the school, April tagging behind with a smile.

Punk smiled as he felt Scarlett hold on to his other hand, not looking up at him but smiling as she walked out of school. This was all he asked for, his family back with him. His Kaia and his Scar by his side and known of him, of how much he loved them both and how he would do absolutely anything for them. They were his little girls.

Punk just enjoyed the moment, walking hand in hand with both of his girls, hearing Kaia go on about her day and Scarlett add about hers too, finally breaking the shell between her and her father and giving him everything he ever wanted, just for her to be comfortable around him.

April just smiled from behind, watching Punk talk to them both as they swung from his arms. She quickly had to brush the tear away from her face, having her children back with their father, who should have never had to have left, it was the greatest wish to ever come true, all they wishes she had during those five years with him gone, they really paid off. They really did.

**Things are looking good. Yay.**

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	10. Chapter 10

Throughout the next couple of weeks, Punk had got into a routine with April and the kids. He would come over for breakfast on the weekends, pick them up from school and kindergarten on weekdays and join them for dinner, occasionally stay the night with April but quickly leave early hours of the morning so the kids wouldn't know he stayed over and also stay sometimes after dinner to just enjoy some time with them, weather it was helping them with homework, playing a game, watching a movie, just anything to get them used to him being around.

Kaia was comfortable enough now to call Punk dad everywhere she went, Scarlett still didn't open up just as much as what Punk wanted her to, but he knew it was hard, she wasn't used to a dad being around, she wasn't using to a man being around really, she lived with her mom and sister for five years, it was bound to cause her to be a little weary.

April was so happy with how things were going, their slow plan was finally working out and Punk was almost at the house every day and night. She knew he was happy with how things were going and that of course made her happy.

She woke up some times during the night and gave herself a fright from why she was naked and why there was a man in her bed, but then she realised who it was and the feeling she got every time it happened went from terrified to 'I'm safe.'

It was just a matter of weeks or months at the most until everything would be back to normal and the girls could accept Punk moving in and picking up on where he left off.

"So, going round for dinner tonight?" Colt asked Punk, coming into the living room where Punk was lying up on the couch watching the TV, basketball shorts and an old t-shirt on.

"April said the girls are going to a birthday party or something." Punk shook his head, "I don't know, might still go round to see April." He said, keeping his eyes glued on the TV.

"Why don't you buy her something…" Colt suggested, sitting back on the couch as Punk looked at him.

"I already…"

"Something that isn't flowers." Colt raised his eyebrow at Punk.

"You know April man, she doesn't care about presents or shit like that." Punk just shook his head at the thought.

"I know but you never know…" Colt said, standing up and leaving Punk in the living room with his own thoughts.

_Later that night…_

Punk had made his way round to April's later on in the day after the kids had went off to the birthday party they were going to, he assumed it was someone from Scarlett's school that Kaia had been invited to as well. Either way he hoped they had fun.

"You look like a wet dog." April laughed, watching Punk take his soaking jacket off at the door way, revealing his wet hair that was over his eyes and surrounding his face. She took it that it was raining then.

"Thank you." Punk smiled, hanging his wet jacket up on the radiator, brushing his hair away from his face.

"I just put the kettle on, do you want anything?" April asked him as he walked into the living room.

"No, I'm good thanks." Punk said into the kitchen, taking a seat on the couch in the living room waiting for her.

April had finally got over the fact that he was actually out of prison, she was beginning to get so used to him already, like he never even left, even though she would forever remember his five years absence from home.

Punk watched her come into the living room, sitting her coffee on the coffee table and sitting beside him as she reached for the remote, enjoying some quiet time alone with him.

"I eh… I got you something today." Punk said, watching her look up at him.

"What'd you get me?" She asked, confused and curious.

"Well…" Punk dug into his pocket and brought out a longish box, sitting it on the coffee table and opening it up, letting her look at it.

"Oh wow…" April blinked a few times, he didn't have to do this. He was so thoughtful.

"If you don't like it, you know… I'll take it back, I know you don't like that kind of stuff and…"

Punk couldn't speak anymore from her lips silencing him, kissing him as she placed her hand on his shoulder, pulling away and looking back down at the necklace with her name on it. She normally thought things like that looked tacky and chavy, but this looked so elegant and right for her, the crystals that engraved her name also looked rather pricey, if she was going to wear a necklace, she would wear this one.

"I love it… it's beautiful." She smiled, pecking him after their longer kiss, reaching over and taking the necklace from the box, asking him to help her put it on.

"You didn't have to buy me anything Phil." She said, holding her hair up at the back, feeling him not make any movement and put the necklace back on the table gently, running his hand over the top of her neck.

"What… when did you get this?" He asked, looking at the tattoo on her back, to him it looked like some sort of date in tally marks. He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed yet.

April just let her hair down to hide the tattoo and turned back around to face him.

"I got it when you left." She said, "Our wedding date." She smiled.

Punk just smiled and never said anything, he didn't need to say anything, he loved that she had got a tattoo, you might not have thought but he had a thing for small meaningful tattoo's on hidden places that only he knew about.

He just took the necklace back from the coffee table and asked her to turn back around so he could put it on, clipping the back of it and letting it go, smiling as she turned back around and sank down into him, leaning her head into him as his arm went over her to keep her into him.

_Later that night…_

"I'll be back as quick as I can… you'll stay to say goodnight to the girls when they get back, right?" April asked, zipping her coat up.

"Yeah, of course." Punk nodded, watching her just nod and leave the house to go pick the girls up.

Punk just stood up from the couch and wandered upstairs, trailing into Scarlett's room first. He knew it was rude to intrude, but he just wanted to look around, see his house again.

He looked in Scarlett's room, remembering the exact day he showed April it once it was finished when she had Scarlett growing inside her. He sat on her bed and recalled the moment.

_Flashback…_

"_Are you going to let me see it now?" She folded her arms._

_Punk just responded by swinging the door open, letting April walk in first to the dimly lit room, a little lamp shining in the corner, it being completely dark outside and the pink curtains closed over._

_April walked on in and smiled with happiness at the room, it was exactly how she pictured it in her mind, the warm atmosphere that the walls and furniture gave off, the pink fluffy clouds on the wall, stuck on very neatly by Punk and Colt. The little toys hanging above the cot, the book shelf in the corner with some baby books with mostly just colours and pictures. Everything was perfect and just right for her daughter._

"_Phil…" She turned to him, "I love it." She smiled, wrapping her arms around him and leaning her head on his chest._

_Punk just smiled, "Now all we need…" He started, crouching down on his knees to eye level with the baby, "Is my baby girl to make her presence known, to fit perfectly in the room." Punk smiled, standing back up straight._

_End of Flashack…_

Punk just smiled, recalling how attached he was to Scarlett from the minute he found out about her. It was hard to come to terms with the fact he had missed such a gap in her life, but he was just thankful to be home now with her and be able to see her grow from this point on.

He looked around at her room now. It was basic, just what an average seven year old girl's room would look like. He could see a lot of framed pictures of her and Kaia, obviously been put there by April. They were adorable, their little smiles. He could have looked at pictures of them all day.

He could see there were lots of books lying around, comics and fictional books, he was glad she was interesting in things like that, it was something she obviously took from both him and April.

He walked out of the room, shutting the light and door over, heading across to Kaia's room which was similar to Scarlett's, but had a little more younger things around, like different toys, teddy bears still, which he understood, she was still only just five, he still considered her very young, but she was a hell of a lot older than what she was the last time he was here.

He could see medals and little trophy's on her bedside cabinet, all won from athletics. Both his kids were so different it was unreal. Also, he spotted a few frames, one in particular that made him smile of April, Scarlett and Kaia, it looked like they were outside somewhere at a park, April was crouched down in between them, all of them smiling as hard as it may have been for April to do so.

He headed out of their rooms and into his own bedroom where he was glad to have been back in a few times, doing what he loved to do the most, keeping his wife happy and satisfied.

He looked around, seeing the usual pictures of them not sitting around, ones of them just messing around, usually selfies on the couch with them making funny faces, or more precious ones like from their wedding or when their kids were born. They were all gone and it made him sad.

He sometimes wondered, why April couldn't have just kept the frames up, the wrestling DVD's, the things related to him around the house, maybe then his kids would have an idea on who he was and wouldn't feel like he was a total stranger. But he promised himself he wouldn't blame April for them forgetting who he was. After all, he didn't have to get put in prison if he hadn't have touched Mike, but he wasn't taking the risk of his family being harassed any more.

He crept out of the room and downstairs, just in time for the girls and April to come in through the door.

"Dad!" Kaia smiled, running towards Punk as he lifted her up.

"Hey, did you have fun?" Punk asked, feeling her place her little hands on his shoulder as Scarlett came walking towards them.

"Yeah." Kaia nodded.

"What about you?" Punk asked Scarlett, placing Kaia down on the ground, watching Scarlett nod.

"It was fun." Scarlett nodded with a smile.

"Alright, well…" April said, "Say goodnight, it's getting late." April announced, hurrying the children along.

"I want dad to put us to bed." Scarlett said, looking up at April.

"Dad…" Punk muttered under his breath with a smile, he called her dad.

"Alright… well I'm sure dad will be happy to." April smiled over at Punk who looked like he had just won a million dollars.

Scarlett just smiled and took hold of Punks hand, Kaia taking hold of the other one as they marched him upstairs while April went and took a seat on the couch.

She was happy. She was happy that was Punk was happy. She was happy that her children were happy. She liked to think she deserved this happiness after five years of pain and misery without Punk.

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	11. Chapter 11

After saying goodnight to Kaia first, she looked a lot tired than Scarlett, he headed over to Scarlett's room where she was already in her pyjamas and under the covers.

"You look comfy." Punk smiled, walking towards her and crouching down beside the bed, watching her turn on her side.

"I am." She smiled to him.

"Good." Punk nodded, "So what is it mom usually does? Tell you a story or something?" Punk asked her, watching her laugh a little.

"No." She laughed, "She just says goodnight." Scarlett said.

"Right." Punk nodded, understanding as he just looked at Scarlett, he couldn't pull himself away to just leave her after saying one goodnight. If it kept him bonding with her, he would pull out a story and read it to her, but she seemed to have some questions for him.

"Why did you go away?" Scarlett asked him curiously. She wanted to know why all of a sudden her mother tells her that her father is back from going away when she was younger. What she wanted to know, was why he went away? What could have been so much more important that he had to leave her and her sister?

"Eh…" Punk scratched the back of his head.

"_I killed your uncle downstairs in the living room and got sent to prison for five years."_

"I done a bad thing and… I had to pay the price." Punk sighed, watching her just look funny at him.

"What bad thing?" Scarlett asked, raising her eyebrow.

"I just… you don't need to know." Punk said, "Bad enough that I had to go away for a while. You know when people are bad they get punished, yeah?" He asked her.

"Yeah." Scarlett nodded, "When Kaia is bad, mom never lets her go for ice cream with us." She smiled, just like any other siblings, she loved to see Kaia get into trouble.

"Yeah… well like that…" Punk said, "Only my punishment was being kept away from you, Kaia and your mother." Punk said, "I've missed a lot of your life, in fact… I've missed a crucial part of your life that I should have been there for, but I'm here now and I promise you and I promise Kaia, I'm not leaving again." Punk promised, not only to Scarlett but to himself.

"But… what if you do another bad thing?" Scarlett asked sweetly, looking up at him.

"Trust me sweetheart." Punk said, tucking her hair behind her ear, "There's not a thing I would risk doing, to get took away from you again, I promise." He said.

Scarlett just waved her hand in front of him, wiggling her pinky out at him and smiling. Punk just smiled and latched his pinky on to hers. He promised… no, he pinky promised he wouldn't leave her again.

"Alright…" Punk said, standing up straight and tucking the covers up over her, "Goodnight sweetheart." He said, planting a kiss on her head and heading out of the room, turning the light off and shutting the door over behind him, leaving Scarlett to quickly fall asleep, they both had tired themselves out at the party they were at.

"They sleeping?" April asked, putting her phone down as she seen Punk approach from upstairs.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "Who were you on the phone to?" He asked, being his nosey self.

"Just my mom." April said.

"God… your mom and dad must want to kill me." Punk cringed, sitting down beside April on the couch.

"My dad wants to kill you, yeah. My mom seems to have looked past it." April shrugged.

"I mean what kind of person wants to hear that your daughter's husband killed someone in their house." Punk shook his head at himself.

"Oh be quiet. You done it for me and even though I'm not proud or even happy in the slightest, I'm just glad he's gone and your back with me." She said, "Anyway… my dad's just being a dad, you'd be the same if it was Scarlett or Kaia." April said as Punk just nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. I would." Punk said, "I suppose you're right." He nodded, why was she always right. Was it just an April thing or was it a women thing.

"Are you going to stay tonight?" April asked him, looking up at him.

"Would you like me to?" Punk asked her politely.

"I'd have you stay every night Phil. It's just the kids I'm worried about." April said.

"Well they know mommy and daddy are a thing now, they know I'm around all the time, what's the harm in them seeing me every morning?" Punk asked her.

"Are you saying you want to move back in?" April said, sitting up and looking at him.

"Well yeah, what's stopping us." Punk shrugged.

"That's a big step…" April took a nervous swallow. Punk moving in was just a statement of him being there all the time now, which she didn't know if her children were that ready yet.

"Please April, just say no already." Punk said, shaking his head at her dragging it out, standing up and walking away towards the door way.

"Phil…" April said, "Phil I never said no, give me a chance to speak." April rushed after him, grabbing his hand and feeling him pull it away as he turned around.

"Do you know I just had to explain to my seven year old daughter that I had to go away because I done something bad, I promised her I wouldn't leave again and do you know what she said…" Punk just looked up and chuckled, "She asked me what if I done something bad again." Punk said.

"And so… she has a right to ask that, what if you do something bad again Phil? Because you can bet your ass I will not stick by you the way I have this time." April warned him.

"Look, I just want my family back, I want my wife, I want my kids and I want to forget about everything that I done, everything that I put you through, but I can't forget that… I can't forget any of it, no matter how much I try, it's forever up in here." He said, putting his finger against his temple, "I don't know why you couldn't have just informed the kids about me as they grew up." He muttered, watching her nostrils flair.

"Are you shitting with me right now?" She said, burning her eyes at him. "You think I'm going to forget it?!" April screamed, "Newsflash, you weren't the only one that suffered, but even through everything, through everything everyone shouted at me, all the dirt sheets, Colt in my ear, parents at school, people just casually in the park, after everyone put me down for sticking by you, I done it anyway and you stand here, blaming me for your kids not knowing you, that's all on you, all of it. You killed Mike, not me. You took his life away from him, your own brother and somehow I managed to stay by your side." April shook her head, looking at him, "Now… I wish I hadn't even bothered." She said.

"Alright, so I snap at you and suddenly you hate me? This is hard for me ok." Punk said.

"Yeah, it is for all of us, Phil." April spat, walking towards the door and opening it, in signal for him to leave.

How dare he snap at her and shout as if it was her fault that all of this had happened. Everything was all down to him. Nothing that he done was encouraged by her.

"C'mon, I didn't mean to snap ok… I'm just caught up in everything. Please, let me stay with you." Punk asked, realising how wrong he was to snap at her like that.

"I don't want you to stay. Just leave." April said, pointing to outside of the door.

Punk just nodded, not prepared to argue back with her. He knew he was in the wrong. He had just got a little caught up with Scarlett asking him questions, having to ask permission to move back into his own home, April giving him that 'no' look, he just snapped for a minute and he knew he shouldn't have, especially when April had been wonderful throughout everything. She could have easily shut him out and not let him see the kids, but she didn't, because she was April and she loved him as much as sometimes she didn't want to.

"Sorry." Punk muttered under his breath, stepping outside and hearing the door bang behind him.

He cursed to himself as he walked to Colt's. How could he have been such a prick to her just there. He didn't deserve her, he knew he didn't.

Once arriving at Colt's, he seen that Colt was still up in the living room thankfully, he needed some brotherly comfort.

"Hey man, what's up?" Colt asked Punk with a frown, seeing how stroppy Punk looked as he sat down on the couch across from him.

"I just pissed April off, big time." Punk said, shaking his head at how stupid he was.

"How?" Colt asked curiously.

"Long story short. I asked to move in, she practically said no, I snapped, she snapped back and won the fight like she always does." Punk said.

"You mean she snapped back, won the fight like she always does, because you're the one always in the wrong?" Colt raised his eyebrows at her as Punk just made a funny face at him.

"Just want my family back man." Punk sighed, running his hands over his face, a silent atmosphere in the room as Colt just sighed, not really knowing what to say.

Punk lifted his head for a minute to ask Colt a question, "April mentioned a lot of people questioned her on why she was sticking by me when I was inside, what did she mean by that?" Punk asked, hoping Colt would know.

Colt just scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, "I'd figure you'd ask about this." Colt sighed, "Just… April got a lot of shit off of everyone. You know, she'd take the kids to the park, try to clear her head and people would come up to her, talk shit to her, some parents wouldn't let their kids play with Scarlett or Kaia, it was pretty shit for April. It was like she was paying the price for your doings while you were inside. Not that, that would be any better." Colt said.

"What were they saying to her?" Punk asked, as if he didn't feel bad enough.

"Just asking why she was sticking by a murderer, things along the lines of that, she'd get it everywhere man, people would chap the door to the house, she'd ignore it obviously, but it was people outside to give her shit, people at the grocery store, the park, the mall, everywhere, she couldn't go anywhere without getting shouted across the street at, she practically hid away for the first year you were gone, I took the kids everywhere they needed to go." Colt said.

Punk just sighed, "My life is a mess." Punk said, slumping back into the couch with a sigh.

"You were so happy a few weeks ago? Or was that just because you got laid after five years?" Colt asked him.

"No, I genuinely was happy with the way things were going, we were making progress." Punk said, watching Colt still look at him, "And yes… because I got laid for the first time in five years." Punk rolled his eyes.

"Look man, take my advice or not, but April's a star compare to most wives out there, if she was just an ordinary girl, she'd have moved on, took your money you left, moved house, not given a damn, but she stuck by you. The last person she needs giving her shit is you, she's took it from almost the majority of Chicago already." Colt said, standing up and walking on by, "I'll see you in the morning, I'm off to bed." Colt said, walking on upstairs.

"Goodnight." Punk mumbled, lost in his thoughts and guilt as he fidgeted about with his wedding band.

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	12. Chapter 12

**Just want to say a massive thank you to all of you who are REVIEWING, 11 chapters and already 100 REVIEWS, you are all amazing and I appreciate your support for the stories I write, glad you guys are enjoying. Thank you so much!**

"April! April open up." Punk said, banging at the door, bearing in mind it was 11pm at night and the kids were sleeping, him banging loudly on the door wasn't making her any happier.

"Would you be quiet." April opened the door quickly to stop his loud careless fists banging off her door, "What is it?"

"We need to talk." Punk said, walking on in without being invited, watching April shut the door over behind him, rolling her eyes.

"I think I've said all I want to say to you." She said, folding her arms as he walked into the kitchen. She followed him and seen him take a seat at the table.

"Why didn't you tell me? Things were so hard when I was gone, maybe if you told me that I wouldn't have yelled at you." Punk said, watching April pull out the seat across from him in the kitchen, sitting down and looking at him.

"What difference does it make." She shrugged.

"What happened when I wasn't here? Tell me." Punk said, looking at her, watching her just look at the ground and shake her head.

"People weren't very nice to me." She looked up at him, "I lost all my friends, I lost half of my family, I nearly lost Colt a good few times, it was like I was the one that killed someone." She said.

"Why didn't you tell me April?" Punk frowned to her.

"Because what does it matter now? You're out now, things have calmed down a little." She shrugged.

"So… what do you mean people weren't nice to you?" He asked curiously, still not quite understanding from her short explanation.

"Simple things like going to the grocery store, taking the kids to the park, everyone would stare at me, I'd walk to work and get shouted things to me across the road, kids at the park didn't come near Kaia or Scarlett, their parents never let them." She sighed, "You might have been in prison and yeah, that must have sucked big time, but I was here cleaning up your mess while you were locked away from it all, and I still stuck by you." She said, "So don't, don't yell at me like that again, like it is my fault. I've had enough yelling at from the full neighbourhood, I don't need you as well." She said.

"I'm sorry… I didn't know how bad things were." Punk shook his head, looking away from her with guilt.

"Yeah, well these few years haven't been good for either of us. I think we can agree on that." She said.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "I thought we were making process, you know… the kids are good with me now, we're fine… I just jumped ahead like I always do. I just want things back to the way they used to be." Punk said, "When it was us against the world and not the world against us." Punk said, leaning back in the chair.

"Phil." April said, watching him nod to her, "Nothing will ever be the same again, will it?" She asked, knowing the answer already.

Punk just ran his hand through his hair, he wasn't going to lie to her, "No." Punk shook his head, "No." He said again quietly as she just leant her elbows on the table and sighed.

Punk just sat, looking across at her, tapping his fingers against the table as she just looked at him with a fed up face.

"I was just heading to bed." April said, killing the awkwardness.

"Right." Punk nodded, "I'll get going." Punk said.

"You don't have to… you can stay if you like." She suggested, watching him look up to her with hope.

"You want me to stay?" He asked.

"Yeah… just lie with me in bed." She said, standing up and walking out of the kitchen, Punk following behind her.

She didn't bother getting changed into pyjamas, he didn't bother stripping down to his boxers, they just lay on top of the readymade bed, not inside the covers, just on top with their clothes still fully on.

"Why did this have to happen to us?" April asked him quietly as she lay into him. She wanted to know why she had been placed with this on her shoulders, why not someone else with a lot less to lose? She didn't deserve this unhappiness, neither did Punk. They were good people, people would argue against her. How could a man who killed someone possibly be a good person. Did it count if the man he killed was a bad person?

"I don't know." Punk whispered, his arms around her as he stared up at the ceiling.

"I wish… I wish we could go back to 2003 and do everything over again, forget about wrestling and realise that all we needed was each other, have our own life, where it's just us, Scarlett and Kaia. No one else." She said.

"Biggest regret of my life was choosing wrestling over you." Punk said, "I was blind." He said.

"You weren't blind. You were young with a dream." She said.

"My dream was always you. From the minute I seen you. All I've done is caused you pain and sadness." Punk said, "Chose wresting over you, drove you to sleep with my best friend, was a prick to you when we first got back together, got you pregnant, ruined your career, got you pregnant again, didn't help you with her, told you, you should have just aborted Scarlett while you got the chance, made you cry countless times, introduced you to my brother who raped you, killed my brother, left you to deal with the consequences for five years, got out of prison and was a prick to you again." Punk said, not having realised just how much pain and sadness he had put April through.

He looked down to her and seen her fast asleep in his arms. If he hadn't have met this girl, she would have been out living her life and enjoying it, not spending the majority of it being miserable like he made her.

"No more pain though, right…" He spoke to her as she kept sleeping, "Should have done this a long time ago." He admitted, wiggling his wedding band off his finger, putting it in her hand and closing her hand over, sitting up and laying her gently up on the pillow.

"Always going to love you April." He spoke, a lump in his throat, "Always." He said, leaning down and kissing her on the cheek, "Take…" He looked up to stop himself from crying, "Take good care of my girls. I know you will." He said, standing up and leaving the room, walking out and closing the door behind him and taking a deep breath, walking towards Kaia's room and walking in quietly, walking over to her and crouching down.

"I know I've just came back, but you don't need me." He smiled, stroking her cheek, "You have your mom, you have your sister… you don't need me." He said, this was killing him, but he felt this was what he needed to do, something he should have done a long time ago, "You're ever in trouble, you know where I am." He said, smiling at her peaceful face, snoring her little head off.

"My little champion." He smiled, reaching down and kissing her head, standing up and taking another deep breath, walking out her room and across to Scarlett's.

He done the same with her, crouching down at her bedside and brushed her hair from her face, "You're my best friend, you know that…" He said, "Happiest day of my life when you were born, but you done fine without me. You're all better off without me, especially your mother… but I'm never going to forget you, any of you. You're always going to be in my mind. Forever." Punk said, standing up straight and laying a kiss on her head.

He took a bigger deep breath this time, this was the hardest thing he was going to have to do, but he needed to, April and the kids didn't deserve him making them miserable like he had to April the majority of her life, they deserved to live with happiness and if he stuck around, they weren't going to have that.

He walked downstairs and headed into the kitchen, grabbing a notepad and a pen, standing over the counter as he wrote to April his reasons to why he decided to make this decision.

He didn't want to leave, but just listing all the things he had put April through, it made him feel ashamed, she deserved so much better, he didn't deserve any of her, her patience, her kindness, he just didn't deserve her and he was letting her go for the best.

He took a final look at his home. He lost it as his home a long time ago, this was April's home, upstairs sleeping were April's children, he didn't deserve any of them, he was the reason that April had lived such an upsetting tragic life. But no more, he'd be out of her hair to let her live her life being happy.

He hadn't even considered the only thing that did make April happy at the same time, was him. But in life, Punk didn't consider a lot of things, apart from this decision, April deserved the best, she deserved the world and he could never give her it. He'd failed at a husband and he was bound to fail at a father. They were better off without him as much as he hated to admit it.

He just swung the door over and closed it over, locking it behind him and posting the keys back through the door, putting his hood up and walking down the street with a tear rolling down his cheek.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	13. Chapter 13

_The next morning…_

April woke up the next morning still in the clothes she was wearing the night before, feeling the space beside her empty. She suspected Punk left earlier on, just like he normally did when he stayed overnight. She stood up from bed, standing up and feeling her foot stand on something round. She removed her foot and picked up Punks wedding band, looking confused at it. Maybe it fell off him last night or something. She never thought anything of it, she would give him it later on when he came round to see the kids.

She sat the wedding band on the bedside cabinet and headed off downstairs to have her usual morning cup of coffee, being met by a folded up piece of paper sitting next to the kettle. Punk knew her morning routine, the kettle was the first place she went.

She just stared blankly and unfolded the letter, reading it into herself.

_April_

_You're going to hate me for this, but it's for the best. I don't deserve you, never have, never will. I've ruined everything for you, ever since we met I've just put a ton of weights on your shoulders, holding you down. I understand you might not want to believe it, but deep down I know, you know that I'm right. Your happiness means the most to me, our children's happiness means the most to me and for you and them to be happy, I don't think I should be around. You've always deserved so much more than me, so have our kids. I'll forever love you, no matter what happens, but it's the way it has to be. You'll probably not understand right now, you'll probably want to kill me. But in a few years, when the kids are older and happier, and you're happier, you'll thank me. I'll never stop loving you. I hope you have a nice life April, I really do._

_Lots of Love_

_Phil x_

April just stumbled backwards a little and dropped the letter out of her hand. How could he even consider this ridiculous idea, what was he thinking, he wasn't thinking. How could he think that him leaving would make her happy.

She quickly ran upstairs and practically dragged the kids from their bed, not even letting them get ready as she whisked them out the door, asking the neighbours to look after them, hating to be such a pain but really needing to see Punk as quick as she could, before it was too late and he done something stupid.

Once the grumpy neighbours agreeing to look after the kids for the time being, April got in the car and drove to Colt's practically going round the corners on two wheels, not even letting the car stop properly when she jumped out and ran to Colt's door, barging in to see Colt sitting on the couch in the living room.

"Where is he?" April asked him.

"Upstairs." Colt pointed to the ceiling, watching April storm away upstairs. He dreaded to know what was going on.

April checked all the rooms and found Punk in the spare one, gathering his things together as he looked at her with a sigh.

"What the hell are you playing at?" She said, looking at him like he as insane.

"Look, this isn't for you to decide." Punk said, "I know what's best for you." He said.

"Well clearly you don't. What's best for me is having my husband back by my side, having my kids know their father. Not having him walk out on us."

"I'm not walking out." Punk said to make that clear, "All I've done is bring you down, I mean, everything that I've done to you, I don't deserve to still have your love. You'll be so much happier without me, trust me." He said.

"Ok, so you've done some shitty things, who hasn't? Look at all the good times we've had." She said.

"Yeah and we'll never get them back. Prison has just affected things too much, nothing can ever be the same." Punk said, watching her just sigh.

"We can try." She shrugged, "Phil please… don't leave. Not again." She begged him as she shook her head.

"Don't you want to be happy?" Punk asked her.

"Yes… and you leaving won't make me happy. Not in the slightest." She admitted.

"Well what will make you happy?" He asked her.

"You." She said, "Just because you've fucked up a few times, doesn't mean you've gave me such a terrible life, you haven't." She said.

"But I have." Punk sighed, sitting down on the bed as she walked over and sat down beside him.

"Things might not be the same as they were before, but we can try." She suggested, "We were doing so well." She said, which Punk could agree on, the kids did seem to enjoy his company, it wouldn't be long until he could move back in.

"I just don't want to disappoint you anymore, April." He said, he hated seeing her unhappy, he couldn't stand being the one that was making her unhappy.

"You don't and you won't disappoint me Phil, don't be stupid. I love you, that's all that matters." She said, leaning over and kissing him sweetly, taking his thoughts away and succeeding him in persuading him to stay. She knew he was just frustrated, panicking, upset, he was feeling all different things. He just wanted his normal life back, his brain was everywhere. But she was not about to watch him leave their family for the second time. She couldn't go on in if he did.

"Sorry." Punk said as he pulled away, "I just thought you would be happier." He shrugged.

"Did you consider that you, Phil Brooks… are the only man that can make me happy, how would that work out when you're leaving again?" She said, watching him just smile, "I love you." She said.

"I love you too." Punk said, bringing her into his arms as he hugged her tightly, realising that leaving wasn't going to solve anything. He had to face these obstacles head on and with April and his children by his side, it should be easy.

_Later on…_

After the kids came home from school, Punk came round to say his usual evening hello to them. He enjoyed seeing their little faces lit up when he came through the door, they really were making a bond, both of them with him and he loved it.

"Look what I drew in school today." Kaia smiled to Punk as her and Scarlett both sat at the kitchen table eating their dinner, Punk taking a seat with him as he spoke to them.

"Is that me?" Punk asked as he pointed to the stick finger in the picture along with three others which he assumed were April, Scarlett and of course Kaia herself.

"Yeah." Kaia nodded, "Good, right?" She said, proud of her drawing.

"I love it." Punk smiled, handing it back to her, assuming it would be going up on the fridge later on.

"Kaia why don't you show dad what you won at school today?" April said, standing drying the dishes as Kaia popped her eyes opened, remembering and getting something out of her school back pack, handing Punk a medal.

Punk read the medal. "First place?" Punk said as he smiled at Kaia, taking a glimpse at Scarlett who rolled her eyes as she ate her dinner.

"Yep." Kaia smiled.

"You must be the fastest runner in Chicago." Punk smiled, "Here, don't lost it." He handed it back to her, "Well done sweetheart." He praised her, still looking at Scarlett who was holding her head up by her hand, playing around with the food on her plate.

_Later on that night…_

Punk walked into the kitchen, leaving the kids in the living room to watch TV while he wanted to speak to April.

"You alright?" She smiled sweetly.

"I'm fine. Look, before I say what I wanted to talk to you about, I just want to say sorry, I was stupid, shouldn't have freaked you out, shouldn't have even considered leaving you or the kids, I'm sorry." He apologised.

"I understand. You're finding it tough, we all are. But we'll get through it alright." She said to him reassuringly, "Now what is it you want to talk about?" She asked.

"Well… I think I seen a little bit of the green eyed monster in Scarlett today, she looked pretty jealous and unenthusiastic when Kaia was showing me her medal." Punk said.

"Scarlett is unenthusiastic Punk, it's just her nature." She said.

"I know but… I was thinking… you don't happen to know where all my old comics are?" He asked her, having an idea.

"Yeah, they're at the bottom of the wardrobe in our room." She said, "Why?" She asked.

"Nothing… just don't want her feeling left out." Punk said, kissing her cheek as he walked away to get the girls to bed.

Once Kaia was sleeping and Scarlett was in bed ready to fall asleep, Punk quickly escaped into his room, taking out the box of old comics and books from the wardrobe and walking into Scarlett's room with them, sitting them down as she sat up in bed and looked over.

"What's all that?" She asked interested.

"Come here." He said, waving her down to sit on the floor with him, watching her as she watched him take all the old comics out, her little face lighting up with excitement.

"Where did these come from?" She asked.

"These were mine when I was younger, we got Spider man, some Thor, The Punisher… you know, they're all yours." He smiled.

"Really?" She smiled, "Isn't even Christmas." She smiled as Punk chuckled.

"Well why don't you pick one to read just now, put the rest in the box and slide it under your bed so they're always there." He smiled.

"Yeah…" Scarlett nodded.

Punk watched her as she looked through them all, finally watching her pick a Thor comic up from the box.

"Good choice." Punk nodded to her as she smiled, watching her get into bed with the comic as he gathered the rest back in the box, sliding it under her bed and getting back to his feet.

"Thanks." She smiled shyly, no one apart from her mother or Colt had ever really gave her something, it was nice, especially when it was something she really took interest in.

"Just because you don't win medals and competitions at school doesn't mean I'm less proud of you, you know that right?" He said, watching her just nod, "Ok, good. I'll see you tomorrow after school, ok?" He smiled, watching her place the comic she had chosen to start reading on her bedside cabinet.

"Ok." She smiled, "Love you dad." She said, turning round on her side to comfy to fall asleep.

Punk just smiled, to hear that was just everything, why did he even consider leaving her or Kaia again. He couldn't, he wouldn't. He would just have to deal with the fact that things had changed and make the most out of his life with April and his kids. You only get one life, he wasn't ruining it the way he had done for the past five years.

"I love you too sweetheart." Punk said, leaning down and kissing her head, walking out of the room and shutting the door over, heading downstairs with a smile, taking a seat next to April in the living room.

"Sleeping?" She asked as she always did.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "Can I say sorry again?" He asked her, still feeling incredibly bad for scaring her the way he did, "I wasn't thinking, life is precious, we only have one and I'm not throwing mine all away. You're my life, the kids, Chicago… that's my life and to leave it all, I'd be throwing it away." He admitted.

April just smiled, "Well I'm glad you've realised." She said.

"I love you." Punk said, tilting her chin up to his face him, kissing her lips softly at first, but it turning into a more sensual kiss that drove April to push Punk down on the couch.

They had to work every day to make this work, but if that's what it would take, Punk was willing to do it.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	14. Chapter 14

Throughout the next few weeks, Punk was thrilled as well as April with the progress of how far they had come from the day that Punk got out of prison until now. They had made the courageous decision now, to move the rest of Punks stuff in and let the children know that dad would be staying in the house now, which both of them were excited to hear about.

Punk took great pride in everything he done now, unlike what it was before, he had built his confidence back up and wasn't nervous when going outside to the park or shops. He asked himself why he was getting nervous anyway? No one could judge him, he'd done his time, he'd paid the price, now he wanted to enjoy his time with his wife and kids.

During the past few days, he'd let his mind wander to what was going on in WWE with his situation. It seemed to him like no one spoke about him anymore, April even told him that fans weren't allowed to wear his previous t-shirts to the current shows, which was like a knife to the heart. He really wanted to clear any air that was between the company and himself, but maybe walking back into WWE, after spending five years in prison, maybe that was too big of a step.

Punk sort of had a routine now. He'd get up with his family, send his kids off to school, kiss April goodbye when she went to work, unless it was her off day which they would spend together, if he was alone he would spend it in the house either tidying up from the kids mess, which April was glad of since for the past five years she was left to do it when she got home from work. He would sit down and catch up on programmes he had missed, which were a lot of seasons and episodes of The Walking Dead, some hockey and baseball, and before he knew it, he had to go pick up the kids and take them home where April wouldn't be long in after them to make dinner while he helped them with homework. He supposed a normal father would have got bored already of doing the same things over and over again, but he'd seen things, he'd been places and trust him, being a father and a husband every day was the most enjoyable thing he could do.

It was April's off day today, which meant they got to spend some time together, which sometimes resulted in April not getting out of her pyjamas and lying up on the couch with him just having series marathons but today was different.

"You don't have to do this you know." April said, turning to him as he kept his eyes on the road.

"No, I do. I'll feel so much better for it afterwards." He said, pulling up to the all state arena, parking the car in a space and getting out, looking at all the tour bus's and trucks pull into the entrance for transport.

Part of him did still miss wrestling, same was for April, but one thing he didn't miss was the hectic and aggressive travelling. He was thankful to wake up in his home every morning whenever he wanted to, not having to run for a flight or get on his bus super early.

"So who's the top guys these days?" Punk asked, he assumed it would have changed a bit in five years, well he hoped.

"Dean and Seth are still pretty relevant." April folded her arms, "Kenta and Devitt are up there with them to." She smiled, she still paid some attention.

"Would have loved to wrestle Kenta in my time." Punk said with a sigh, "What about the women? Who's took over from the Bella's?" Punk asked, when he left to prison, he remembered the Bella's getting quite a lot of mic and promo time.

"Paige, Emma, Charlotte… women's division is good." She nodded with a smile, a hint of pride too.

Her and Punk never really talked about wrestling, so it was nice every now and then to have a little discussion.

Punk came to the entrance of the arena and just took a deep breath. He knew no one would have the same respect for him, he didn't blame them, but he hoped things wouldn't be too terrible, he just wanted to speak with Vince and Hunter, to try and ask politely for them not to tarnish his CM Punk name. That was all he asked, he wasn't going in to ask them to like him or understand why he killed a man.

April walked slowly behind Punk as they walked through the halls, some people gasping as they noticed him, some people glaring at him like he was some sort of animal that should be put in a cage. She didn't like it. He had feelings, could none of them see that.

The first person to actually approach them and say hi was Dean Ambrose, who in his time, knew a lot about violence and being a criminal, not to bring up his past or anything, but he understood a little and also, he still had a ton of respect for Punk as a wrestler and as a human being.

"Hey man, good to see you." Dean smiled, watching Punk nod in disbelief.

"Thanks. You too." Punk smiled, grateful of Dean to be the first person to actually greet him.

Dean just nodded to April in a sign of hello to, he couldn't stick around, so he headed on by them down the hall.

Once Punk and April walked another good bit down the hall, approaching Vince's office, April just squeezed Punks hand reassuringly. Everything would be fine.

Punk walked on in and seen Triple H standing in shock whilst Vince sat at his desk, nearly keeling over on the chair.

"Punk." Vince said in his gruff voice, not expecting to see him here. He sat up on his chair properly as Punk came in and took a seat with April.

"Paul… give us a minute." Vince asked his son in law as Triple H nodded and left the room.

"Look…" Punk said, "I'm not here to ask for my job back or anything like that, I just… I wanted to ask you something." He said, looking to April for guidance.

"Go on…" Vince said, paying attention to Punk.

"I don't want my name vanished from WWE. I know… I know what I did was wrong, so wrong and I know you're only protecting your company, but I just want things to be alright between us, I've lost enough." He said.

Vince just looked from Punk to April and took a deep sigh.

"It was never something I wanted to do." Vince admitted, "It was a shock to everyone here. I mean, we all knew you were a pain in the back side but to find out you'd been sent to prison for killing a man. It was a shock. I had to do something, to shut everyone up." Vince said.

"I understand that. I do." Punk nodded, "But the CM Punk name is my pride and joy, I feel like it's been wrecked, I'm not asking you to have a RAW dedicated to me or anything like that, but let people bring signs in that have my name on it, let them wear my shirts and merchandise, they clearly are still fans of me. Don't punish them for that." He said.

"Alright." Vince said, "If that's all you wish." He said, "Then so be it." He smiled.

"Thank you." Punk smiled, glad that Vince was so understandable about it. Punk stood up with April and nodded to Vince in thanks about to leave when Vince spoke up.

"Punk…" Vince called as Punk turned round, "It's nice to see your face again." Vince smiled. He had missed Punk, especially from walking the halls here at WWE.

Punk just smiled and turned round to the door, leaving out the arena and building with April, a smile on his face, happy with clearing the uncertain air within WWE.

_Later that night…_

Somehow Scarlett and Kaia ended up jumping on their mother and fathers bed while they were sitting on it. Punk pulled Kaia down to sit on his lap while Scarlett sat at the bottom cross legged.

"Me and Scarlett have wrote our Christmas lists." Kaia smiled up to her father as she traced his hand tattoos.

April just rolled her eyes at the thought of Christmas, the stress of buying presents, she was glad Punk was here now to help her.

"Bit early are you not?" Punk laughed as Kaia just shook her head.

He loved these moments, having his family all together, laughing together and smiling. It had been a long process but things were turning out right and he was so glad of it.

"Tickle monster is coming to get you." Punk said a funny voice, scooping both kids into his arms as he tickled them, enjoying their contagious little giggles as he smiled to April who was laughing as well.

He loved his wife. He loved his children and strangely enough, his life in prison was turning into just a bad dream that he was forgetting about as the days went on. Things were turning out just right and if he didn't deserve it to turn out right, April sure as hell did.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**

**Next chapter will be the last I am sad to say. But you know me, always got another story coming soon after, but I want to thank you guys for being so amazing throughout this story and Long Time No See, you are all the best!**


	15. Chapter 15

Things were going great for the Brooks, everyone was happy and Punk was not only thrilled but astounded by how far he had come from when he first stepped out of prison when his daughters didn't know him. They adored him now and he could tell they would be lost without him, they'd both learnt to love him and trust him as their father and that was all he wished for. He was just glad to say he had his wife and his children back.

He never thought he'd see this day, he was convinced he was going to leave and that April would understand why and let him go, but she fought for him, she made him see sense that yes, maybe he had caused her some pain and sadness in the past, but he also gave her everything a girl could ask for, love.

It was his first Christmas back in the house in five years and excited wasn't even the word. April swore he was more excited than the children which they were running around the house like headless chickens.

Punk didn't even mind the cold weather or the huge queues in toy stores or making sure that every single thing that the girls had on their lists was ticked off, he just treasured everything and was so glad to be home for Christmas to spend it with the people he loved.

"You got it?" Punk asked Kaia, lifting her up as she put the star on top of the Christmas tree.

"Yeah." Kaia said, placing the star carefully on the top branch and being let down by her father.

Punk just smiled as Kaia walked back over to her mother who was sitting on the couch, climbing up and sitting beside her, lying into her into her cute little Christmas pyjamas, she had reindeers on hers while Scarlett who was sitting on the other couch had snow men on hers, her head buried into one of her father's old comics.

Punk just walked over and sat down beside Scarlett, sweetly smiling over to April who smiled just as sweetly back. Christmas was only a few days away and it was her favourite time of the year, she loved the idea of being with her family for a full day, the girls getting on with one another, her and Punk enjoying each other's company like they hadn't for the past five Christmas's, watching her children open their presents with huge smiles on their faces, inviting Colt round for dinner. It was a day she looked forward to every year.

"What's that word?" Scarlett asked Punk, still having some difficulties with her reading, but having her number one teacher to always rely on now, always looking to Punk to help her out when she got stuck.

April just smiled and played with Kaia's hair as she lay comfy on the couch, watching Punk helping Scarlett. She had never felt this calm in so long, things were finally settling down and she was getting the happiness she so longed for. She was also extremely happy that her children now had their father to depend on and not just her, she loved how much they adored him already and loved to be in his company and his arms, she didn't blame them.

"Evening pals and gals." Colt exclaimed as he walked in the door, taking his coat off and rubbing his hands together for heat, "Freezing outside." He announced like they never already knew that, taking a seat next to April.

Him too was glad to see how much Punk had fit back into his normal loving father and husband role around the house. It was nice to see a happy outcome of all this chaos that had been going on for the past five years.

"Colt, what you getting me for Christmas?" Kaia asked, swinging from Colt's arm.

"Hey, don't be cheeky." April tapped her, not wanting her children to be brought up with bad manners.

"It's only uncle Colt." Kaia laughed to her mother, turning back round to Colt, holding on to his arm as she tried to win him over with her green eyes and huge cute smile.

"Ahh, that's for me to know and you to find out." Colt said, tapping her nose as she just huffed and folded her arms, sitting back on the couch. She didn't like waiting, especially when it came to Christmas.

"Colt…" Punk announced, seeing Thor come over to him and nudge him on the leg, "You wouldn't mind watching them, me and April need to take Thor out for a walk." Punk stood up from the couch, patting Thor on the head.

"No… go ahead." Colt nodded, he could see the kids were tired anyway, they were sure to be quiet and not wild and hyper like they were if he looked after them during the day.

"Thanks." Punk said, nodding to April to come with him.

He liked to do things together now. Even things just like walking the dog, or going grocery shopping, Christmas shopping, decorating the house for Christmas or Halloween, putting the kids to bed, they done it all together and he loved it.

April followed Punk into the kitchen, getting her coat on and gloves as Punk got Thor's lead and attached it to his collar, passing the lead to April to let himself get his jacket on, heading out the door with her as they headed out into the freezing dark night, snow on the ground that Thor seemed to just trot through while Punk and April shuffled along in it.

"It's freezing." April said, interlocking her arm around his as he held the lead in his other arm, Thor trotting on ahead and sniffing different things on his way.

"I think this might have been the coldest winter ever." Punk said, their breaths leaving a misty trace in the air as they spoke.

"Yeah you'll say that next year to." April chuckled, "It's nice to have you back for Christmas, you know… buying the kids presents without you, it was hard, I like to have my second opinion by my side." She nudged Punk with a smile.

"Well, second opinion is back." He kissed her head, "For good." He smiled.

April would pick all the presents she liked up from the shelves for their children, but Punk would make the final decision on them and give his reasons for why they were good or not for the kids, he was going to make sure his first Christmas back with his family was memorable, not just for him but for his kids.

"What would you wish for Christmas?" Punk nudged her with a cheeky smile, walking along the cold, quiet street, April hugged into him as their arms interlocked.

"Nothing." April smiled as she looked on, "I have everything I need." She smiled, looking up to him and feeling him steal a kiss from her quickly, enjoying the rest of their walk before they got back to put their children to bed.

_A few days later…_

It was the eve before Christmas Eve and the kids were high as kites, excited for Santa coming in only two days. Punk wasn't big in celebrating Christmas until he had his children, seeing their little faces light up, their excitement throughout the full of December, it was enough to make him smile.

April decided, to keep the kids as calm as possible that she would make cookies and gingerbread men with them later on in the night. Punk just screwed things up when baking, so he just washed and helped the kids decorate them with icing and sprinkles or whatever the kids wanted to use to decorate the cookies and gingerbread men.

While helping them, he was pulled away by a phone call from his cell phone. He quickly wiped his hands on the dish towel and picked the phone up, answering and leaning on the fridge door.

"Is this Phil?" The man on the other line said immediately as he heard someone answer.

Punk just paused, he knew this voice… "Ben… is that you?" He asked in disbelief, catching April look up at him.

"Yeah man, it's me." Ben smiled through the phone, glad he had gotten through to the right person, "How are you?" Ben asked.

"I'm great… Are you out?" Punk asked with disbelief and happiness for his former cell mate and who he considered one of his friends, maybe even best friends, that was the only thing he missed about prison.

"I'm getting out tomorrow. My girlfriend is out of town with her parents, I figured I was surprise her for Christmas so I was phoning to see if you could pick me up from the prison, I know you have kids and you'll be busy with them, near Christmas, if you can't I'll get a cab or whatever… but I really want to see you again." Ben said, he'd been lonely for the past few months that Punk was gone, he'd missed his cell mate of five years a lot.

"Yes, of course I'll pick you up. What time?" Punk asked, so happy that Ben was getting out, especially for Christmas.

"Around 10am they're letting me out. I can't wait man… thanks a million." Ben said, being so excited to get out into the world.

"No problem. I'll see you when I see you." Punk said.

"Yeah, I'll see you soon then." Ben smiled, both hanging up as Punk sat his phone back down on the kitchen counter.

"Was that your old cell mate?" April asked with a smile, decorating her own gingerbread man as well as the kids still doing theirs.

"Yeah." Punk smiled, "He's getting out tomorrow, asked me to come pick him up." Punk said, things couldn't get any better. He was so happy for Ben.

"I'm happy for you. You'll need to let me meet him after Christmas." April smiled, turning her attention back to the kids as she seen Punk at the corner of her eye, walk towards them and help Kaia make her gingerbread man look a little bit more decorative, catching him smiling to himself. She was so happy that he was happy. After everything he had been through.

_The next morning…_

Punk had left April and the kids sleeping for a lie in while he made his way to prison, as much as he didn't want to be looking at the horrible building that ruined his life, he was here for Ben and that was all that mattered.

He could already see Ben standing outside waiting on him. It was weird seeing him in his ordinary clothes, looking like a normal man. He pulled the car up and stepped out of the car, immediately running round and greeting Ben with a hug.

Ben couldn't believe how good Punk looked, he'd put on the weight he so rightly needed to put on, his torturous eye bags had disappeared and he looked fresh and healthy, he hoped he could look like that in a few months.

"It's good to see you man." Ben said, patting Punk on the back.

"Good to be out right?" Punk asked him as he pulled back from the brotherly hug.

"Never felt better. Can't wait to get home." Ben announced.

They both got into car as Ben directed Punk to where he lived, Punk had a rough idea where he lived, so he headed off quickly, not being able to stand the prison building, it haunted him and forever would.

The discussion in the car journey to Ben's house was varied between how Ben got on without Punk in prison, how he missed his jokes and stories that he would tell about wrestling and his kids, to Punk explaining to Ben how he had his wife and kids back and were living a happy life. He also told Ben that April wanted to meet him and he seemed thrilled with that.

After pulling up to Ben's simple home, watching the smile appear on his face when he seen it, they said their goodbyes, but both new it wouldn't be their final goodbye, he was pretty sure Ben would be a life long friend now, they'd been through a lot and they went through it with each other.

"Enjoy Christmas dude, thanks for picking me up." Ben smiled, turning to Punk.

"No problem. You have a nice Christmas to, I'll see you soon after." Punk stated, giving Ben a final hug and watching him head out of the car, giving him a final smile as he stepped into his home with the biggest smile on his face.

Punk was so glad they were now both out and living their lives back in the world. They had both definitely went through a lot and for them to be both back home for Christmas with their families, it was a dream come true.

_Later that night…_

The kids had not long gone off to sleep which took what felt like forever to happen, they were just so excited for tomorrow, to wake up and open their presents, but with a little bit of Punk and April's magic parenting skills, they soon fell asleep and April and Punk got busy preparing the wrapped presents under the tree for them and quickly got into bed themselves, knowing they would have a busy day ahead of them tomorrow. The kids were bound to be up at the crack of dawn and they sure as hell wouldn't be napping any time of the day.

"I think they'll like their presents." April smiled, cuddling her arms around Punks bare body as she got comfy in their warm bed.

"Yeah. Of course they will." Punk nodded, "They'll have the best day ever tomorrow, I promise." Punk smiled.

"I'm so glad you're back. Christmas hasn't been the same without you since you left." She admitted, "But you're here now and that's all that matters." She smiled.

"I love you." Punk said, looking down at her looking up at him.

"I love you so much." April said, cupping his cheeks and kissing him softly, she couldn't wait to spend Christmas with her family just like old times, she loved her family and everything in their past was just a horrible nightmare that her and Punk were both forgetting about more and more each day. Even through everything, the love they had still blossomed through and she was sure of it that it always would. She loved her husband and kids and was ready to enjoy the rest of her life, putting them first.

**The End.**

**Thought I would end on a Christmassy note since we're close to Christmas, well close in my mind. I just want to say thank you so much for the support not just on this story but Long Time No See and all of my other stories that you guys rock the REVIEWS with, makes me so happy to know you guys like and support the stories, so thank you so much. I have no clue when the next story I have in mind will be up, but knowing me, soon. So sit tight and prepare for a next Punklee action pact, drama fulfilling story that I would love all your support on with just like the past stories. You guys are the best! Thank you so much! –punkdlaurenx**


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